Octopus EV tariffs: which one is right for you?

The Octopus EV range at a glance

Flexible Octopus, the standard variable tariff, averages 26.32p/kWh and 53.76p a day across its 14 regions (Direct Debit, 0% VAT), which is the Ofgem cap on units. Octopus puts new customers on it while a smart meter is arranged.

Which Octopus tariff should you choose?

• Compatible car or charger, and you charge at home: Intelligent Octopus Go. It is the lowest unit rate you can get without leasing through Octopus EV.
• Car or charger not on Octopus’s list, or you want to control the timing: Octopus Go. You set the car’s timer for 00:30 to 05:30.
• Solar, a battery and an EV: Octopus says Intelligent Octopus Go usually makes more sense than its Flux tariff, depending on how much you drive. Read the solar guide first.
• A heat pump and an EV: Octopus says Intelligent Octopus Go usually makes more sense than Cosy, again depending on mileage.
• A home battery and a flexible routine: Agile may pay, but check the numbers below.
• A V2G car: only one combination qualifies for the Power Pack.
• Very low mileage or daytime-heavy home: compare whole-home cost first. Both EV tariffs have day rates well above the 26.32p cap.

Intelligent Octopus Go and EV Saver

Intelligent Octopus Go gives 7.6p for the whole home from 23:30 to 05:30 and for up to six hours of smart car charging a day. Octopus schedules the charge through the car or charger. The six-hour cap, bump charges and compatible hardware are covered on the full page.

The EV Saver is the same product at 6.6p/kWh, but Octopus’s API describes it as exclusive to drivers who get their car through Octopus EV. Octopus says its leases start from £220 a month including maintenance, home and public charging. If you are not leasing through Octopus EV, you cannot have the 6.6p rate.

Octopus Go

Octopus Go is the original Octopus EV tariff: 9.5p from 00:30 to 05:30, and a day rate that averages 35.30p, 1.4p lower than Intelligent Octopus Go in every region. It works with any EV, and Octopus’s Go page says it does not require a home charger (its EV tariffs FAQ lists one, so confirm at sign-up). A variable version (8.21p) still appears in Octopus’s API, but Octopus’s pages say fixed rates only, so treat it as closed.

Agile Octopus

Agile prices change every half hour and are published daily for the following 24 hours. It needs a smart meter but no car or charger. Prices are capped at 100p/kWh including VAT, there is no exit fee, and the standing charge averages 56.13p a day.

The figures that matter for an EV driver come from Octopus’s half-hourly data for London (region C), ex VAT, which equals inc VAT while the zero rate lasts:

• 12-month mean: 19.35p/kWh (other regions: 20.46p Eastern, 19.48p Yorkshire, 23.27p North Scotland).
• Last 30 days, mean: 26.12p/kWh, with a low of minus 4.8p and a high of 82.6p.
• Cheapest six hours a day, last 30 days: 15.91p/kWh on average.
• Negative-price half hours in 12 months: 463.

Even the cheapest six hours a day averaged about double Intelligent Octopus Go’s 7.6p. At 0.301 kWh a mile that is about 4.8p a mile against 2.29p, and the 12-month mean works out at about 5.8p a mile. Agile is for homes with batteries or solar, or for people who can charge whenever prices dip. It is not the cheapest way to charge a car.

Octopus Power Pack (V2G)

The Power Pack is an add-on to a compatible import tariff. Octopus manages a vehicle-to-grid charger and credits the car’s charging, so Octopus describes EV charging as free. Only one combination is listed: a V2G-enabled BYD Dolphin with a V2G-enabled Zaptec Pro charger. You also need G99 export permission from your network operator, must plug in for 12 hours a day on 20 days a month, and must charge under 210 kWh a month (about 625 miles). It cannot be combined with Tracker, Agile or any Intelligent Octopus tariff.

Octopus says a typical V2G driver could save £620 a year against Flexible Octopus and £161 against Intelligent Octopus Go. Those are Octopus’s estimates. Our bidirectional charger guide covers the hardware.

Octopus’s own charger bundles

Octopus sells and installs chargers, with standard installation up to 10m of cable included. Prices are regional, shown after a postcode check, and these are the headline figures:

The Octopus route is not the cheapest. Ohme’s own site lists the Home Pro from £999 including standard installation, and OVO lists the Hypervolt Home 3 Pro from £1,099. What Octopus adds is a smoother connection to the tariff. See our Octopus charger guide and the Ohme Home Pro review.

Flux and Cosy

Octopus’s other time-of-use tariffs, Intelligent Flux for solar and battery homes and Cosy for heat pumps, are outside the EV range and we have not verified their rates. Octopus’s own advice is in the decision list above. If you have one of those setups plus an EV, ask Octopus for a quote on both before choosing.

How to switch

Octopus does not let you join a smart tariff directly. New customers sign up on Flexible Octopus, and Octopus then connects the smart meter, which generally takes around 14 days. Octopus Go then switches over once Octopus reads half-hourly data and you accept the terms. For Intelligent Octopus Go you also connect the car or charger in the Octopus app, which needs iOS 14 or later or Android 7 or later. Compare the other suppliers on our EV tariff comparison before you commit to a 12-month fix.