Best EV Tariff (UK 2026): Octopus Go, Intelligent Go and the Rivals by Region
By Rob Hammond · Updated September 2026 · How we score
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An EV tariff is a bet: a cheap overnight window in exchange for a day rate above the price cap. It pays when most of your electricity goes into the car at night. It loses when it does not. The table below shows the cheap window for both Octopus EV tariffs in every region, from the Octopus API on 2026-09-28, and the rival tariffs as their pages published them.
The short answer
- Compatible car or charger, plug in most nights: Intelligent Octopus Go. A six-hour window, plus extra cheap slots whenever Octopus schedules the car to charge.
- Any charger with a timer: Octopus Go. A fixed five-hour window, no control handed over.
- Rarely charge at home: a flat tariff may well be cheaper, because every EV tariff’s day rate applies to everything you use outside the window.
- Before switching to any of them: compare the rivals table below. A rival with a lower published off-peak rate can still cost more if its window is shorter or its day rate higher.
Octopus cheap windows by region
| Region | Octopus Go | Intelligent Octopus Go |
|---|---|---|
| Eastern England (A) | 8.63p 00:30–05:30 | 8.40p 23:30–05:30 |
| East Midlands (B) | 8.63p 00:30–05:30 | 8.40p 23:30–05:30 |
| London (C) | 8.63p 00:30–05:30 | 8.40p 23:30–05:30 |
| Merseyside and North Wales (D) | 8.63p 00:30–05:30 | 8.40p 23:30–05:30 |
| West Midlands (E) | 8.63p 00:30–05:30 | 8.40p 23:30–05:30 |
| North East England (F) | 8.63p 00:30–05:30 | 8.40p 23:30–05:30 |
| North West England (G) | 8.63p 00:30–05:30 | 8.40p 23:30–05:30 |
| Southern England (H) | 8.63p 00:30–05:30 | 8.40p 23:30–05:30 |
| South East England (J) | 8.63p 00:30–05:30 | 8.40p 23:30–05:30 |
| South Wales (K) | 8.63p 00:30–05:30 | 8.40p 23:30–05:30 |
| South West England (L) | 8.63p 00:30–05:30 | 8.40p 23:30–05:30 |
| Yorkshire (M) | 8.63p 00:30–05:30 | 8.40p 23:30–05:30 |
| South Scotland (N) | 8.63p 00:30–05:30 | 8.40p 23:30–05:30 |
| North Scotland (P) | 8.63p 00:30–05:30 | 8.40p 23:30–05:30 |
Full rate tables, standing charges and exit fees are on the Octopus Go and Intelligent Octopus Go pages.
The rivals
| Supplier | Tariff | Off-peak | Window | Peak | Needs | Read |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E.ON Next | Next Drive Smart | 8.5p | 00:00 to 06:00, plus any time E.ON schedules the car to charge | 32.363p | A compatible EV and charger, a smart meter with half-hourly readings; 12-month fix, no exit fee | 2026-09-24 |
| E.ON Next | Next Drive | 10p | 00:00 to 06:00 | Not published | An EV and a smart meter; 12-month fix, no exit fee Peak rate is given in a postcode quote, not on the page. | 2026-09-24 |
| EDF | GoElectric | 6.99p | 23:00 to 06:00 | Not published | A smart meter; prices fixed for the tariff term Peak rate is given in a postcode quote, not on the page. | 2026-09-24 |
| British Gas | EV Power | 9p | 00:00 to 05:00 | Not published | Any EV and any home charger, and a smart meter Peak rate is given in a postcode quote, not on the page. | 2026-09-24 |
How to choose
- Count your overnight kWh. A car driven 8,000 miles a year at 3.5 miles per kWh needs about 2,300kWh a year from the charger. The larger that is against the rest of your household’s use, the more the cheap window outweighs the higher day rate.
- Check compatibility before the rates. Intelligent Go needs your car or charger on Octopus’s list. The rivals each have their own list; a tariff you cannot join has no rate.
- Look at the window, not just the price. A five-hour window at 7kW is 35kWh. If your daily drive needs more, the window matters more than a penny on the rate.
- Enter your postcode on the tariff pages. The Octopus Go and Intelligent Octopus Go pages highlight your region’s day rate, cheap rate and standing charge, which are the three numbers the sum needs.
FAQs
Do I need a smart meter for an EV tariff?
Yes, every tariff on this page needs a smart meter sending half-hourly readings. Octopus and most rivals will fit one as part of the switch.
Is an EV tariff worth it if I only charge once a week?
Often not. EV tariffs pay for their cheap window with a day rate at or above the price cap. The saving comes from the kWh you put into the car overnight; a car charged once a week at home may move too little to pay for the higher day rate on everything else.
Can I use an EV tariff to charge a home battery?
On Octopus Go and Intelligent Go, yes: the cheap rate applies to the whole home during the window, so the battery gets it too. Check each rival's terms before assuming the same.
Sources
- Octopus Energy: Octopus Go · checked 24 Sept 2026
- Octopus Energy: Intelligent Octopus Go · checked 24 Sept 2026
- Octopus Energy API: products and unit rates · checked 24 Sept 2026