How Much Does It Cost to Charge an Electric Vehicle?

Quick Cost Overview

The cost of charging an EV depends heavily on where and when you charge. Before we delve into the full guide, here's a snapshot of what to expect:

• Home charging costs around £12-£15 for a full 60kWh charge.
• Public slow and fast chargers cost around £24 to top your vehicle up to 80% Using a public rapid charger to charge your vehicle to 80% costs around £36
• Workplace charging is often free or subsidised, covering most daily commutes without touching your home electricity bill

Find an EV charger installer

Table of Contents

Whether you're switching to an EV and want to know what to budget, or you're already driving one and looking to cut costs, jump to what's most useful here.

In this guide, we cover:

1. How Much Does It Cost to Charge an EV at Home?
2. How Much Does It Cost to Charge an EV in Public?
3. Home vs Public Charging: How the Costs Compare
4. Why Do EV Charging Costs Vary So Much?
5. How to Reduce the Cost of Charging an Electric Car
6. How Does the Cost of Charging Compare to Running a Petrol Car?
7. Find an EV Charger Installer with MyBuilder
8. FAQs: EV Charging Costs

From home tariffs to motorway rapid chargers, read on for everything you need to know about EV charging costs in 2026.

How Much Does It Cost to Charge an EV at Home?

Home charging is where most EV owners do most of their charging, and it's by far the cheapest option. The rate you pay depends on which electricity tariff you're on.

One thing worth knowing: all new home chargers installed in the UK are now required to be smart by law, meaning scheduled off-peak charging is a standard feature rather than something you need to set up separately.

Average home charging costs for a standard 60kWh tarrif:

Tariff type	Cost per 60kWh charge
Standard (Ofgem cap, ~25p/kWh)	£14-£15
Off-peak EV tariff (~7–10p/kWh)	£4-£6

Charging a typical EV at home costs around £12-£15 on a standard electricity tariff Switch to an off-peak overnight tariff and the same charge drops to around £4-£6 Over a year, that difference adds up to £300-£500 in savings!

How Much Does It Cost to Charge an EV at a Public Charger?

Public charging costs significantly more than home charging, and the faster the charger, the more you'll pay per kWh.

Standard and Fast Charging Rates

The weighted average PAYG rate across the UK public network is 54p per kWh for standard and fast chargers (3–49kW), and 79p per kWh for rapid and ultra-rapid chargers (50kW+). In per-mile terms, that's around 16p and 24p respectively.

For a 60kWh battery charged to 80% from near-empty (roughly 45kWh), those rates translate to around £24 at a standard public charger and £36 at a rapid charger.

Ultra-Rapid Charging Rates

Motorway service station ultra-rapid chargers, now open to all brands, sit toward the top end of the pricing spectrum, typically 79-95p per kWh in 2026.

A long motorway trip requiring a couple of rapid top-ups can cost £25-£35 in charging alone, which narrows the gap with petrol considerably.

Some networks offer subscription plans or off-peak pricing that bring costs down by 5-15p per kWh. If you regularly use the same network, it's worth checking whether a monthly membership makes financial sense.

Find an EV charger installer near you

Home vs Public Charging: How the Costs Compare

The numbers make a clear case for charging at home whenever possible. In practice, most EV owners use a mix: home charging for daily use, public or workplace chargers for top-ups when out, and rapid chargers on longer trips.

The ratio matters more than the absolute numbers. Someone who can charge at home overnight and only uses rapid chargers occasionally will find EV ownership considerably cheaper than petrol. Someone without home charging access, in rented accommodation without a driveway, for example, faces a harder calculation.

A driver doing 10,000 miles a year and charging entirely at home on an off-peak tariff might spend £200-£300 on electricity.

The same driver relying on public rapid chargers for everything could spend £700-£900, which is three to four times more.

Businesses and landlords looking to install charging for multiple vehicles should see our commercial EV charger installation cost guide.

Why Do EV Charging Costs Vary So Much?

The difference between charging for 2p per mile and 24p per mile comes down to a handful of decisions - some you make when you buy the car, some you make every time you plug in. Here's what actually drives the number on your electricity bill.

Battery Size

This is the most obvious. A Renault Zoe with a 52kWh battery costs less to fill than a BMW with a 111kWh one. Larger batteries offer more range, but the cost per charge is higher - and that matters if you're regularly paying public charging rates.

Here's what a full charge costs at the standard Ofgem rate (~25p/kWh) across common battery sizes:

Battery size	Full charge cost (standard tariff ~25p/kWh)
40kWh (e.g. Renault Zoe)	~£10
60kWh (e.g. Nissan Leaf)	~£15
75kWh (e.g. Tesla Model 3)	~£19
100kWh (e.g. BMW iX)	~£25

Charging Speed

Charging speed affects both price per kWh and how long you're waiting. Slow home charging is cheapest but takes the longest. Here's how the main charger types compare:

Charger type	Typical cost per kWh
3-pin plug (home)	~25p (standard tariff)
7kW wallbox (home)	~25p standard / ~8p off-peak
Fast public charger (22kW)	~54p PAYG
Rapid charger (50–100kW)	~79p PAYG
Ultra-rapid charger (150kW+)	~79–95p PAYG

Your Electricity Tariff

Your tariff is within your control to a much greater degree than most drivers realise. Some popular tariffs from energy suppliers offer overnight rates as low as 7-8p per kWh, and the car charges automatically in the off-peak window and you don't need to think about it.

Moving from the standard rate to one of these is often the single biggest annual saving an EV owner can make.

Vehicle efficiency

Efficiency varies considerably between models. A more aerodynamic, lighter car will get more miles per kWh than a larger, heavier one. Real-world efficiency also drops in cold weather and at motorway speeds, both affect how often you need to charge and therefore your total spending.

Where you Live

Your location has a small but consistent effect. Electricity unit rates can vary slightly by region in the UK, and access to home charging, which depends on having off-street parking, isn't equally distributed. Labour costs for installation also vary by region. Our electrician hourly rates guide covers what to expect across the UK.

How to Reduce the Cost of Charging an Electric Car

Keeping EV charging costs down is largely about habits and timing. A few changes make a significant difference:

• Switch to an off-peak EV tariff: overnight rates of 7-8p per kWh are available from several UK suppliers. That's compared to the standard cap rate of around 25p, and your smart charger handles the scheduling automatically
• Charge to 80%, not 100%: most manufacturers recommend this to preserve battery health. Charging also slows significantly above 80%, so stopping there is faster and cheaper for everyday use. Save full charges for long trips
• Use network subscriptions for public charging: Pod Point, bp pulse, and Osprey all offer membership rates below pay-as-you-go pricing. If you use the same network regularly, a monthly plan typically pays for itself within a few sessions
• Take advantage of workplace charging: many employers offer free or subsidised charging. A standard 7kW workplace charger adds around 30 miles of range over a working day, enough to cover most daily commutes without using any home electricity

For more on what a home charger installation costs and what's involved in getting one fitted, see our EV charger installation cost guide.

How Does the Cost of Charging Compare to Running a Petrol Car?

For drivers who can charge at home, the savings are real. Here's how 10,000 miles a year stacks up:

• Petrol car (40mpg, £1.45/litre): around £820 a year in fuel
• EV on a standard home tariff (7p/mile): around £700 - already cheaper
• EV on an off-peak tariff (2–3p/mile): as little as £200-£300 - a saving of over £600 versus petrol

The picture changes if you rely on public rapid charging. At 24p per mile, the same 10,000 miles costs around £2,400 - more than twice the petrol equivalent. Home charging access is the single biggest factor in whether owning an EV makes financial sense day-to-day.

Beyond fuel, there are a few other costs worth knowing about:

• Servicing: generally cheaper than petrol - no oil changes, fewer brake replacements due to regenerative braking
• Insurance: around £562/year on average for an EV versus £487 for petrol (MoneySuperMarket, early 2026) — the gap is narrowing
• Road tax (VED): EVs lost their exemption in April 2025 and now pay the standard rate of around £195/year
• Pay-per-mile charge: from April 2028 the government plans to introduce a charge of around 3p per mile - roughly £300/year for a driver doing 10,000 miles

For a full breakdown of what a home charger costs to install, see our EV charger installation cost guide.

Find an EV Charger Installer with MyBuilder

If you don't yet have a home wallbox, getting one fitted is the most effective step you can take to reduce EV running costs.

Post your job for free on MyBuilder and receive responses from verified electricians who are interested and available. You can also browse our EV charger installers directory to find and compare local installers directly. Check profiles, read reviews, and compare quotes before committing to anyone.

All tradespeople on MyBuilder undergo checks at registration, such as ID documents, company details, certifications for regulated jobs and skill assessments, allowing you to hire with confidence.

Find an EV charger installer on MyBuilder

FAQs: EV Charging Costs

How Much Does It Cost to Fully Charge an Electric Car at Home?

On the standard Ofgem rate of around 25p per kWh, a full charge costs roughly £10-£25 depending on your battery size. On an off-peak EV tariff at 7-10p per kWh, those figures drop to £4-£10.

Is It Cheaper to Charge at Home or at a Public Charger?

Home charging is significantly cheaper. Standard public chargers run at around 54p per kWh in 2026; rapid chargers average 79p.

Even on the standard home electricity rate (around 25p per kWh), home charging costs less than half of what you'd pay at a public rapid charger.

How Long Does It Take to Charge an Electric Car at Home?

A 7kW home wallbox adds roughly 30 miles of range per hour, so a 60kWh battery charges from 20% to 80% in around five hours - easily done overnight.

A standard three-pin plug at 2.3kW takes considerably longer (25+ hours for the same charge) and isn't recommended for regular use.

Do You Need a Special Electricity Tariff to Charge an EV?

No. You can charge on any standard household tariff. But switching to an EV-specific off-peak tariff unlocks much lower overnight rates (7–10p per kWh versus the standard 25p), which makes a significant difference to annual running costs.

All new home chargers are smart-compatible as standard, so scheduling overnight charging is straightforward once you're on the right tariff.

Can You Negotiate the Cost of a Home EV Charger Installation?

Getting multiple quotes is the most reliable way to ensure you're paying a fair price. Installation costs vary based on your property's cable run, the condition of your consumer unit, and local labour rates, so quotes can differ meaningfully.

You can browse photos of completed EV charger installations on MyBuilder to get a sense of the standard of work from local tradespeople before committing to anyone.