EV charging cost: worked example
How much 7,000 miles a year of home charging costs on each Octopus tariff, with every number shown. This is an example, not a quote.
- Checked 9 November 2026
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Quick answer
Example only: driving 7,000 miles a year at 0.301 kWh/mile uses about 2,107 kWh. Charged entirely off-peak, that costs about £137 on Intelligent Octopus Go (6.5p) and £198 on Octopus Go (9.40p, London). At the London Flexible rate (26.60p) it's £560.
Excludes standing charges and assumes every charge is at the cheap rate.
The maths
Intelligent Octopus Go: 2,107 × £0.065 = £136.96
Octopus Go: 2,107 × £0.0940 = £198.06
Agile: 2,107 × £0.2825 = £595.23
Flexible: 2,107 × £0.2660 = £560.46
| Tariff | Rate used | Cost for 2,107 kWh |
|---|---|---|
| Intelligent Octopus Go | 6.5p/kWh | £136.96 |
| Octopus Go (London off-peak) | 9.40p/kWh | £198.06 |
| Agile (cheapest 6h, night of 18–19 Oct, London) | 28.25p/kWh | £595.23 |
| Flexible Octopus (London standard rate) | 26.60p/kWh | £560.46 |
Assumptions
- 0.301 kWh/mile is the UK average EV consumption that Octopus uses (its figure, checked October 2026). Your car will differ.
- Intelligent Octopus Go: the 6.5p/kWh off-peak rate on Octopus's Intelligent Octopus Go page, checked 9 November 2026. Octopus's public price data shows the same 6.5p/kWh off-peak rate for the variable Intelligent Octopus Go tariff in every region (available from 29 October 2026).
- Go and Flexible: London fixed and variable rates from Octopus's public price data on 9 November 2026. Rates vary by region.
- Agile: average of the cheapest twelve half-hours between 22:00 and 08:00 on the night of 18–19 October 2026 (London). That's one night only, and real prices move daily and with the seasons.
- Every charge is assumed to be at the cheap rate. Standing charges, the rest of your home's usage and charging losses are excluded.
Want the 6.5p rate? Switch with the referral link, then move to Intelligent Octopus Go
Check your car or charger
Use Octopus's official "Will it work for me?" checker on the Intelligent Octopus Go page. If your car or charger isn't supported, Octopus Go works with any EV.
Switch to Octopus with the referral link
Open the referral link before you get a quote and sign up online. Octopus says new customers switch to its standard tariff, Flexible Octopus, first. The switch usually takes about 3 days.
Get a smart meter Octopus can read
You need a SMETS2 or Secure SMETS1 smart meter sending half-hourly readings. Octopus says connecting to a meter usually takes around 14 days, and it can book an installation once you've switched if you need one.
Move to Intelligent Octopus Go
Once your switch is complete, Octopus will help you move to Intelligent Octopus Go. You accept the terms, then connect your car or charger in the Octopus app (iOS 14+ or Android 7+).
Get your £50 credit
Your £50 referral credit is added after your first Direct Debit, usually about 4 weeks after you join. Intelligent Octopus Go comes as a variable version with no exit fee, or a 12-month fix with a £50 exit fee.
← Back to EV tariff hub How to use the Octopus Energy referral code
Switching to Octopus Energy? Get £50 credit with this referral link
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