Octopus Energy EV Tariffs Review 2026

Octopus Energy is the UK’s most popular EV electricity supplier, and for good reason. Their two main EV tariffs, Intelligent Octopus Go and Octopus Go, consistently rank among the best available for home charging. If you drive an electric vehicle and charge at home, Octopus is the benchmark everything else is measured against.

This review covers both tariffs in full: what they cost, how they work, who they suit, and where they fall short.

Intelligent Octopus Go: the flagship tariff

Intelligent Octopus Go is Octopus Energy’s premium EV tariff and the one most drivers should consider first. It offers a 7.6p/kWh off-peak rate with smart dispatch, which means your car and charger work with Octopus’s platform to find the cheapest slots available, not just the standard overnight window.

Every night your whole home gets six hours of cheap electricity from 23:30 to 05:30. On top of that, Octopus can schedule up to six hours of smart charging for your car in any 24 hours; if wholesale electricity prices drop during the day, the system can use those cheaper slots too, and your whole home gets the off-peak rate while they run.

Who is Intelligent Octopus Go best for? Drivers with a compatible smart charger or electric vehicle who want the lowest overall charging cost and are comfortable letting software manage their schedule.

Octopus Go: the simpler option

Octopus Go is the fixed-window alternative. You get a cheap rate of 9.5p/kWh between 00:30 and 05:30 every night; that’s it. No smart dispatch, no compatibility requirements beyond a basic smart meter.

It works with any electric vehicle and any home charger. You simply set a timer on your car or charger to charge during the 00:30–05:30 window and you’ll get the cheaper rate automatically.

Who is Octopus Go best for? Drivers who want a simpler overnight tariff without smart dispatch, or whose EV or charger is not on the Intelligent Octopus compatibility list.

EV tariff comparison: both Octopus options

Tariff	Off-peak rate	Off-peak window	Standing charge
Intelligent Octopus Go	7.6p/kWh	23:30–05:30 plus smart slots	54p/day (average)
Octopus Go	9.5p/kWh	00:30–05:30 daily (5 hours)	54p/day (average)

Both tariffs cover your whole home during off-peak hours, not just EV charging. Running your dishwasher or washing machine overnight extends the saving further.

Rates are correct as of October 2026 and include 0% VAT, which applies to household electricity in Great Britain until 31 March 2027. Octopus is currently selling both tariffs only as 12-month fixes with a £50 exit fee. Existing Octopus customers renewing may be offered a loyalty version of Intelligent Octopus Go at 6.6p/kWh, and Octopus Electric Vehicles lease customers get an EV Saver version at 6.6p/kWh.

Smart meter and compatibility requirements

Both tariffs require a SMETS2 smart meter. Octopus Energy will arrange installation free of charge if you don’t have one, though availability varies by region.

Intelligent Octopus Go additionally requires either a compatible electric vehicle or a compatible smart charger. Octopus maintains an up-to-date compatibility list on their website. Most major EVs from Volkswagen, Tesla, Kia, Hyundai, and BMW are supported. Compatible chargers include Ohme, Indra, and others with Octopus API integration.

If your car is not on the list, Octopus Go remains available without any compatibility requirements beyond the smart meter.

The Octopus Energy app

The Octopus app is the best-in-class for EV tariff management in the UK. You can view your half-hourly consumption, set charging targets, check your carbon intensity, and see exactly what you’ve spent on charging versus household use.

Octopus also integrates with the Electroverse charging network, allowing you to add public charging costs to your home energy bill or pay separately. Access covers over 300,000 charge points across the UK and Europe.

Who should consider a different tariff?

Octopus’s peak rates average 35.30p/kWh (Octopus Go) and 36.70p/kWh (Intelligent Octopus Go). That is higher than E.ON Next Drive Smart (31.68p/kWh) and E.ON Next Drive (32.85p/kWh). If your household uses a lot of electricity during the day, for instance because someone works from home, the lower day rate at E.ON Next may more than offset its slightly higher overnight rate.

On the overnight rate alone, EDF GoElectric undercuts Intelligent Octopus Go at 6.66p/kWh over a seven-hour window, but without Octopus’s smart charging slots as standard and with a £75 exit fee per fuel. E.ON Next Drive Smart is close behind Octopus at 8.1p/kWh, with a lower day rate and no exit fee.

Our verdict on Octopus Energy EV tariffs

Intelligent Octopus Go remains our top overall recommendation for most UK EV drivers with a compatible charger or car. The smart dispatch, renewable electricity, excellent app, and wide compatibility make it the most rounded package available. Octopus Go is a solid fallback if your setup isn’t compatible.

The main caveat is the peak rate. If you use significant daytime electricity, compare E.ON Next Drive Smart before committing.

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Switching offer: Switch to the UK’s most awarded energy supplier! Switch to Octopus Energy and you’ll get up to £50 credit once your switch is complete. Existing customer? Find out how you can benefit too. T&Cs apply (only one switching offer per household).

This page contains affiliate links to Octopus Energy. BestChargers.co.uk is an independent website and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Octopus Energy. Recommendations are based on our own research and editorial judgement. Sign-up credit of up to £50 is subject to Octopus Energy terms and conditions; only one switching offer applies per household. Octopus Energy’s 100% renewable electricity claim is matched through Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin (REGO) certificates under Ofgem’s Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin scheme; the electricity delivered to your home still comes from the national grid mix.