Sainsbury's Energy EV Tariff Review 2026

Sainsbury’s EV is Sainsbury’s Energy’s tariff for drivers of electric and hybrid cars. From October 2026 it charges 9.52p/kWh for six hours overnight, with a day rate averaging 31.99p/kWh and a 57p daily standing charge, fixed for 12 months with no exit fee. Customers also earn extra Nectar points on their Sainsbury’s shopping.

Sainsbury’s Energy is run by E.ON Next, and Sainsbury’s EV has the same rates as E.ON Next Drive. This review covers what it costs, who can get it, and when another tariff would suit you better.

How Sainsbury’s EV works

Sainsbury’s EV is a whole-home time-of-use tariff. During the six-hour off-peak period you pay 9.52p/kWh for all the electricity your home uses, not just your car’s charging, and a higher standard rate at all other times. The off-peak period is currently midnight to 6am, and Sainsbury’s Energy confirms your exact times and prices by email when you join.

There is no smart charging or app scheduling. You set a timer on your car or charger to charge during the cheap period, so it works with any home charger.

The tariff uses half-hourly readings from your smart meter to bill your off-peak and standard-rate electricity separately. Sainsbury’s Energy warns that your in-home display stops working on this tariff.

What it costs

	Sainsbury’s EV
Off-peak rate	9.52p/kWh (00:00–06:00)
Day rate	31.99p/kWh average (31.02p to 33.53p by region)
Standing charge	57p/day in every region
Contract	12-month fix
Exit fee	None

At 9.52p/kWh, a 60kWh charge from empty costs about £5.71, against about £15.79 at the October 2026 price cap average of 26.32p/kWh. For a driver covering 10,000 miles a year in a car that does 3.5 miles per kWh, that is a saving of roughly £480 a year on charging alone.

Who can get it

To be eligible you must:

• own or lease an electric or hybrid vehicle, or have a solar battery system
• have a working smart meter that sends half-hourly readings, and agree to Sainsbury’s Energy collecting them
• pay by monthly Direct Debit and manage your account online

If you are already a Sainsbury’s Energy customer, it test-reads your smart meter for up to five days before moving you across. You can keep the tariff if you move home and still meet the criteria.

Nectar points

Every Sainsbury’s Energy tariff except Track and Reward earns extra Nectar points on Sainsbury’s shopping: one extra point per £1 for electricity-only customers (double points) or two extra per £1 with dual fuel (triple points), up to 3,500 extra points per fuel a year. At 500 points to £2.50, that is worth up to £17.50 per fuel a year. Sainsbury’s EV is not eligible for the bonus points Sainsbury’s Energy gives new Fix and Reward customers.

How it compares

Sainsbury’s EV matches E.ON Next Drive on price, so the choice between them comes down to Nectar points against E.ON’s app and its Drive Smart option. If your car or charger is supported, E.ON Next Drive Smart is cheaper overnight at 8.1p/kWh with the same 57p standing charge and no exit fee.

If you want the lowest overnight rate, EDF GoElectric charges 6.66p/kWh for seven hours, though it has a £75 exit fee per fuel. Intelligent Octopus Go is 7.6p/kWh with extra smart charging slots for compatible cars and chargers.

Our verdict on Sainsbury’s EV

Sainsbury’s EV is a solid, flexible EV tariff with no exit fee and a full six-hour window, and the Nectar points make it worth a look if you already shop at Sainsbury’s. On overnight price alone it trails the smart tariffs and EDF, so compare your full annual cost, including your daytime use, before switching.