So Energy EV Tariff Review 2026

So Energy’s SO EV tariff has a single standout claim: it offers the cheapest overnight charging rate of any EV tariff in the UK at just 6.5p/kWh. For high-mileage EV drivers who primarily care about reducing the cost of home charging, this is the headline number that matters most.

This review covers the SO EV tariff in full — what it costs, what it doesn’t offer, and who it’s best suited to.

SO EV — how the tariff works

SO EV is a whole-home time-of-use tariff. During the overnight off-peak window, you pay 6.5p/kWh for all electricity consumed in your home — not just for EV charging. This means your dishwasher, washing machine, and other overnight appliances all benefit from the cheaper rate.

There is no smart dispatch. You set your home charger or EV to charge during the overnight window using your car or charger’s built-in timer. So Energy does not integrate with your vehicle or charger for automatic scheduling.

A SMETS2 smart meter is required. If you don’t have one, So Energy will arrange installation free of charge, though timescales vary.

The rate advantage — how much can you save?

At 6.5p/kWh overnight versus the standard variable rate of approximately 24.98p/kWh, the saving per kWh is 18.48p. For a typical 60kWh EV battery charged from empty:

• SO EV cost: £3.90
• Standard variable rate cost: £14.99
• Saving per full charge: approximately £11.09

For a driver covering 10,000 miles per year in a 3.5 miles-per-kWh car, annual charging energy is approximately 2,857 kWh. At 6.5p versus 24.98p, the annual saving from switching to SO EV is approximately £528.

Compared to Octopus Intelligent Octopus Go (8p/kWh), So Energy saves an additional £41 per year at the same mileage on charging costs alone. The gap widens further for higher-mileage drivers.

Peak rate context

The 27.82p/kWh peak rate is competitive. It is lower than Octopus (33.72p) and British Gas (31p), though higher than EDF GoElectric Overnight (25.66p). For a typical household, this makes So Energy a strong all-round option — not just on overnight charging but on total energy costs.

Provider	Off-peak	Peak
So Energy SO EV	6.5p/kWh	27.82p/kWh
Octopus Intelligent Go	8p/kWh	33.72p/kWh
E.ON Next Drive Smart	8p/kWh	28.25p/kWh
EDF GoElectric Overnight	9p/kWh	25.66p/kWh
British Gas EV Tariff	9p/kWh	31p/kWh

Charger and vehicle compatibility

SO EV works with any home EV charger and any electric vehicle. You need a smart meter, but there are no smart dispatch compatibility requirements. This makes it accessible to drivers with older EVs, non-smart chargers, or anyone who simply prefers a predictable manual schedule.

Who is SO EV best for?

• High-mileage drivers who charge frequently and want the lowest possible overnight rate
• Budget-conscious EV owners for whom every penny per kWh matters
• Drivers with any charger or EV who don’t need smart dispatch
• Households that run appliances overnight and want the whole-home off-peak benefit

Who should consider other options?

If you want smart dispatch — automated scheduling that finds the cheapest charging slots — So Energy doesn’t offer it. Octopus Intelligent Octopus Go and E.ON Next Drive Smart are the options to consider.

If green energy is a priority, Good Energy offers 100% renewable electricity and Octopus Energy supplies 100% zero-carbon electricity (combining renewable and low-carbon sources). So Energy’s SO EV does not specify its energy sourcing.

For households with very high daytime electricity consumption, EDF GoElectric Overnight’s 25.66p/kWh peak rate may make it cheaper overall despite the higher 9p overnight rate.

So Energy as a supplier

So Energy is a smaller UK supplier that has grown steadily since launching in 2015. They have built a reputation for competitive pricing and reasonable customer service, though their digital tools and app are less developed than those at Octopus or British Gas.

Before switching, confirm the current standing charge with So Energy. Standing charges are not prominently listed in all comparisons and can affect the total cost calculation, particularly for smaller households with lower overall consumption.

Our verdict on So Energy SO EV

SO EV is our top recommendation for high-mileage EV drivers who prioritise the overnight charging rate. At 6.5p/kWh, no competitor comes close on pure overnight cost, and the 27.82p/kWh peak rate is competitive across the board.

The absence of smart dispatch is the main limitation. If you’re comfortable setting a timer on your charger or car, that limitation is irrelevant, and the savings over Octopus’s smart dispatch tariff are real. If you want automated scheduling, Octopus or E.ON Next are the better fit.