E.ON Next Drive Review 2026: Drive and Drive Smart EV Tariffs Compared

E.ON Next’s Drive and Drive Smart tariffs are the strongest competitors to Intelligent Octopus Go and deserve serious consideration from any UK EV driver comparing their options. Drive Smart, in particular, matches Octopus on the overnight rate and significantly undercuts it on the daytime rate — which makes a material difference for households that use electricity during the day.

This review covers both tariffs, explains the compatibility requirements for smart dispatch, and helps you decide whether Drive Smart or Drive is the right fit.

Drive Smart vs Drive: which is which?

E.ON Next offers two dedicated EV tariffs under the Drive brand:

Next Drive Smart is the smart dispatch variant. It offers an 8p/kWh off-peak rate within a midnight-to-6am window, using E.ON Next’s smart dispatch technology to optimise when within that window your car charges. Requires a compatible smart charger or EV. Includes 100% renewable electricity. Available on a 12-month fixed term.

Next Drive is the fixed-window variant. It offers a 9p/kWh off-peak rate from midnight to 7am with no smart device requirement. Works with any EV and any home charger. A slightly higher overnight rate but a longer window and simpler setup.

Both are whole-home tariffs: the cheap rate applies to all your electricity use during the off-peak hours, not just your EV charging.

The peak rate advantage

The headline reason to consider Drive Smart over Intelligent Octopus Go is the peak rate. Drive Smart charges 26.35p/kWh during the day. Octopus Energy charges 33.72p/kWh. That is a difference of 7.37p per unit.

For a household using 4,000kWh per year at peak times, the difference is around £295 annually in favour of Drive Smart. If your household draws significant power during the day — because someone works from home, you have electric heating, or your appliances run during waking hours — Drive Smart is very likely to deliver better overall annual savings than Intelligent Octopus Go, even though the overnight rate is identical.

	Next Drive Smart	Intelligent Octopus Go
Off-peak rate	8p/kWh	8p/kWh
Peak rate	26.35p/kWh	33.72p/kWh
Standing charge	50p/day	53p/day
Green electricity	Yes (100%)	Yes (100%)

What smart dispatch does on Drive Smart

When smart dispatch is active, E.ON Next optimises when within the midnight-to-6am window your car charges. You set a target charge level and departure time; the system handles the scheduling. As with Octopus’s Kraken platform, the goal is to find the cheapest and lowest-carbon slots within the available window.

Compatible smart chargers include select models from Ohme, Indra, and others. E.ON Next’s compatible device list is smaller than Octopus Energy’s, so confirm your specific charger and car model before switching.

Next Drive for drivers without a compatible setup

If your car or charger is not on the E.ON Next compatibility list, Next Drive is the appropriate tariff. It offers 9p/kWh from midnight to 7am — a seven-hour window with no smart dispatch requirement. The peak rate on Next Drive is 29.75p/kWh, which remains lower than Octopus Go’s 33.72p/kWh, making it a strong option for drivers who want a simpler fixed-window tariff with a competitive day rate.

Which tariff to choose

If you have a compatible smart charger or EV and use significant electricity during the day, Drive Smart is likely to be among the two best available EV tariffs, alongside Intelligent Octopus Go. Model your full annual bill, not just the overnight rate, before deciding between them.

If you do not have a compatible device, Next Drive is a solid alternative to Octopus Go — matching it on simplicity, offering a longer window, and beating it on the day rate.

Compare all current options on our EV tariffs comparison.

---

This page contains affiliate links. BestChargers.co.uk is an independent website and is not affiliated with or endorsed by E.ON Next. Recommendations are based on our own research and editorial judgement.