How to make home charging the cheapest, greenest way to run your EV

Charging at home can be one of the cheapest ways to run an EV - as long as you’re on the right energy tariff.

If you’re set up properly, you could be charging overnight for a fraction of the cost of a standard tariff (while also using greener electricity from the grid). Here’s how to make sure you’re getting the most out of home charging.

Our sister company, Octopus Energy, offers smart EV tariffs, with extra savings available for Octopus EV drivers.

If you haven’t switched yet, moving to Octopus Energy is the first step to unlocking cheaper, greener home charging.

Not with Octopus Energy yet?

EV Saver is a discount available to Octopus EV drivers on Octopus Energy’s Intelligent Octopus Go tariff. It reduces the off-peak kWh rate by 1p per kWh, making overnight home charging even cheaper for eligible drivers.

So, it looks something like this: 

• Most standard electricity tariffs charge around 24-30p per kWh
• Intelligent Octopus Go already brings that down to 7p per kWh during off-peak hours
• EV Saver lowers it further to 6p per kWh for Octopus EV drivers

That means every overnight charge costs less - without needing to manage timings, pricing, or grid demand yourself.

Not on EV Saver yet?

Let’s start with Intelligent Octopus Go, as this is the tariff EV Saver works with. It automatically charges your EV during the cheapest, greenest off-peak times - without you needing to schedule times.

• Uses live grid data to find the cheapest, greenest times to charge
• Automatically starts and stops charging for you
• Adjusts day to day depending on electricity demand and renewable supply

What you need to do:

• Plug your car in
• Tell the app what charge level you want by the morning

That’s it - no figuring out what times you need to charge to save the most. You just choose the charge % outcome, and Intelligent Octopus Go handles the timing.

If your car or charger isn’t eligible for Intelligent Octopus Go, don’t worry - you can still save on home charging with Octopus Go, a simpler alternative.

With Octopus Go, there’s a fixed off-peak window every day (currently 11:30 pm–5:30 am) when electricity is cheaper.

You’ll need to set a charging time schedule yourself (you can do this in your car or via your home charger app) to match the off-peak period, and it still costs significantly less than a standard electricity tariff.

Octopus Go is a great option if your EV or charger isn’t compatible with Intelligent Octopus Go, or if you prefer to manage your own charging times.

Intelligent Octopus Go (with EV Saver if eligible):

• Automatically charges at the cheapest, greenest times
• No fixed hours to manage
• Only available for those with a smart meter and a compatible car or charger
• Lowest-cost option for eligible Octopus EV drivers

Octopus Go:

• Fixed, cheap off-peak window
• You control when charging happens
• Still significantly cheaper than a standard tariff

Both reduce costs - Intelligent just does more of the thinking for you.

• Make sure you’re with Octopus Energy
• If you’re eligible and are an Octopus EV driver, Intelligent Octopus Go - EV Saver is usually the cheapest, greenest way to charge at home
• If you’re not an Octopus EV driver, Intelligent Octopus Go is the tariff for you, just check you’re eligible first 
• If you’re not eligible for Intelligent Octopus Go, Octopus Go still offers reliable, low-cost overnight charging

Want to learn more? Head over to our Guide to EV Tariffs.