Best ChargersKey takeaways
- Pod (the company formerly called Pod Point, owned by EDF since 2025) runs more than 2,600 EV charging bays at over 600 Tesco stores, in partnership with Tesco and Vauxhall.
- Tesco’s last published charging rates are 44p/kWh (7kW), 49p/kWh (22kW), 62p/kWh (50kW) and 69p/kWh (75kW); prices can vary by store, so check the app before you plug in.
- You can pay with the Pod Point app, as a guest through the Zapmap app (card, Apple Pay or Google Pay), or by contactless on rapid chargers fitted with a card reader.
- Clubcard members earn one point for every £1 spent at Pod chargers at Tesco, and since August 2026 also at Be.EV chargers, including Be.EV rapids at some Tesco Express stores.
- Free charging at Tesco ended on 1 November 2022; before that the 7kW and 22kW chargers were free and the 50kW rapids cost 28p/kWh.
- Adding 100 miles costs about £12.57 on a Tesco 7kW charger and £19.71 on a 75kW rapid, against about £1.86 at home on Intelligent Octopus Go (6.5p/kWh).
- The 7kW and 22kW units are untethered, so bring your own Type 2 cable; rapid chargers have their own tethered CCS cable.
Tesco has the UK’s largest supermarket EV charging network. Pod, the company formerly called Pod Point, runs more than 2,600 charging bays at over 600 Tesco car parks in a partnership with Tesco and Vauxhall that began in 2019. EVs have been charged at Pod chargers at Tesco more than 14.3 million times. Pod has been owned by EDF since 2025.
How much does Tesco EV charging cost?
Tesco EV charging costs between 44p and 69p per kWh, depending on how fast the charger is. These are the last published rates for each charger type:
| Charger | Price per kWh | Cable |
|---|---|---|
| 7kWFast AC | , below the UK average of 54p for this speed | Bring your own Type 2 |
| 22kWFast AC | , below the UK average of 54p for this speed | Bring your own Type 2 |
| 50kWRapid DC | , below the UK average of 79p for this speed | Tethered CCS |
| 75kWRapid DC | , below the UK average of 79p for this speed | Tethered CCS |
| At homeIntelligent Octopus Go, overnight | Your own charger |
UK average pay as you go price (Zapmap, September 2026): 54p below 50kW, 79p at 50kW and above
Last published rates, reported by TopCharger. Pod says the owner of each charger sets its price and it can change without notice, so prices can vary by store. Check the price of the charger in the Pod Point app, or on the rapid charger’s screen, before you start. Prices include VAT; public charging carries 20% VAT, so the 0% VAT on household electricity from October 2026 does not apply.
For context, Zapmap’s Price Index put the UK average pay as you go price in September 2026 at 54p/kWh for chargers below 50kW and 79p/kWh for 50kW and above. Tesco’s 7kW and 22kW rates sit below the first average, and its rapids sit below the second.
What it costs to add 100 miles at Tesco
This table assumes a car that does 3.5 miles per kWh, so 100 miles needs about 28.6kWh. A larger SUV will use more; a small hatchback less.
| Where you charge | Price per kWh | Cost to add 100 miles | Rough time to add 100 miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesco 7kW | 44p | About 4 hours | |
| Tesco 22kW | 49p | About 1 hour 20 minutes at 22kW; longer if your car takes 7kW or 11kW AC | |
| Tesco 50kW rapid | 62p | About 40 minutes | |
| Tesco 75kW rapid | 69p | About 25 to 30 minutes | |
| Home, Intelligent Octopus Go | 6.5p | Overnight |
Rapid charging times depend on your car’s battery temperature and charging curve, so treat them as a guide.
Typical Tesco charging sessions
- One hour on a 7kW charger during a big shop
- about 7kWh, roughly 24 miles of range, for about £3.08.
- 30 minutes on a 50kW rapid
- up to about 25kWh, roughly 85 miles, for up to about £15.50.
- 30 minutes on a 75kW rapid
- up to about 35kWh, roughly 120 miles, for up to about £24.15, if your car can take that much power.
Home charging is far cheaper. On Intelligent Octopus Go at 6.5p/kWh, 35kWh costs £2.28 at home against about £24 on a Tesco 75kW rapid. Treat Tesco as a top-up while you shop rather than your main way of charging. See our EV tariff comparison for the cheapest overnight rates, and our EV charging costs guide for how public networks compare.
Your charge
One hour on a 7kW charger adds about 7kWh, roughly 24 miles, for about £3.08.
Most Tesco stores have 7kW chargers, which suit a 30 to 60 minute shop.
Assumes the charger runs at full power, or your car’s limit on AC. Rapid charging slows as the battery fills, so treat rapid results as the most you would get.
How to pay for Tesco EV charging
There are three ways to pay at a Tesco Pod charger:
| Method | Account needed? | How you pay | Where it works |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pod Point app | Yes, free | Top up a balance with a card | Every Pod charger at Tesco |
| Zapmap app (guest) | Zapmap account only | Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay | Pod chargers, since December 2025 |
| Contactless | No | Tap a card, phone or watch | Rapid chargers fitted with a card reader |
With the Pod Point app you need a balance of at least 1p to start a 7kW or 22kW charge, and at least £5 to start a rapid charge. A rapid session ends automatically when your balance runs out. Contactless and guest sessions take a £30 pre-authorisation from your card, which is adjusted to the actual cost when you finish.
How to start a charge at Tesco with the Pod Point app
Download the Pod Point app, create a free account and top up your balance.
Find the charger in the app’s map, or use the charger’s name printed on the unit (each Pod charger has a unique name).
For a 7kW or 22kW charger, plug your Type 2 cable into the charger and your car. For a rapid, plug in the charger’s own CCS cable.
Confirm the charge in the app. Pod gives you a 15-minute window to confirm; if you do not confirm, the charge stops.
Watch the session in the app, then stop it in the app and unplug when you are done.
Linking your Clubcard
Link your Tesco Clubcard in the Pod Point app to earn one Clubcard point for every £1 spent on charging at Tesco. Pod became a Clubcard points partner in June 2025. A point is worth 1p as a Clubcard voucher in store, and more when used with Clubcard Reward Partners, so a £20 charge earns 20 points, worth about 20p in store. It is a small extra, not a discount.
Since 27 August 2026 Be.EV has also been a Clubcard points partner, at the same one point per £1. Link your Clubcard in the Be.EV app to collect points at its 680+ sites, including the Be.EV rapid chargers at some Tesco Express stores.
Where are Tesco EV Chargers?
Pod chargers are installed in the car parks of larger Tesco Extra and Tesco Superstore sites, more than 600 stores in all. Most Tesco Express stores do not have chargers, although some have Be.EV rapid chargers.
To find a charger at your nearest Tesco:
- The Pod Point app shows every Pod charger, including at Tesco, with live availability and the price of each unit.
- Zapmap shows chargers from every UK network, so you can filter for Pod Point or Be.EV and see which Tesco sites have them.
- Store signs and bay markings show which bays have chargers when you arrive.
Tesco car parks are busiest at weekends and in the early evening, so check live availability in the app before you drive over.
What charging speeds does Tesco have?
Most Tesco stores have 7kW chargers. Some also have 22kW chargers, and selected stores have 50kW or 75kW rapid chargers.
- 7kW
- adds about 24 miles of range an hour, which suits a 30 to 60 minute shop.
- 22kW
- only charges as fast as your car’s onboard AC charger allows. Many cars accept 7kW or 11kW AC, so check your car’s specification before paying the higher price.
- 50kW and 75kW rapids
- can add around 70 to 120 miles in 30 minutes, depending on the car. These are the best choice when you need range quickly.
The Pod Point app shows which charger types are at each store. For more on what the speeds mean, see our guide to EV charger types and how to use a rapid charger.
Cable types
The 7kW and 22kW Pod chargers at Tesco are untethered, so bring your own Type 2 cable. Most electric cars sold in the UK come with one. The 50kW and 75kW rapid chargers have their own tethered CCS cable, so you do not need to bring anything.
Is Tesco EV charging free?
No. Tesco and Pod Point ended free charging on 1 November 2022. Before then, the 7kW and 22kW chargers at Tesco were free to use and the 50kW rapids cost 28p/kWh. From that date every charger moved to pay as you go, starting at 28p/kWh on 7kW units, and prices have risen since to the rates above.
- Before 1 November 2022Free
- From 1 November 202228p per kWh
- Last published rate44p per kWh
There is no sign of free charging returning. Clubcard points give a small amount back, about 1p in every £1 spent.
Is Tesco the best supermarket for EV charging?
For coverage, yes. With more than 2,600 bays at over 600 stores, Tesco has more EV charging than any other UK supermarket, so it is the most likely to have a charger near you.
For rapid charging, it depends on where you are. Sainsbury’s Smart Charge sites focus on rapid and ultra-rapid chargers that take contactless, and Zapmap reports an average of 72p/kWh on Sainsbury’s Smart Charge rapids, close to Tesco’s 75kW rate. Tesco’s 7kW and 22kW chargers are cheaper per kWh than any rapid, which makes them the best value if you have time to shop.
For a full comparison of Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Aldi and Lidl, see our supermarket EV charging guide.
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to charge an electric car at Tesco?
It depends on the charger. At the last published rates, 7kW chargers cost 44p/kWh, 22kW chargers 49p/kWh, 50kW rapids 62p/kWh and 75kW rapids 69p/kWh. Adding 100 miles (about 28.6kWh in a car doing 3.5 miles per kWh) costs about £12.57 on a 7kW charger and £19.71 on a 75kW rapid. Prices can vary by store; the Pod Point app shows the current price of each charger.
Are Tesco EV chargers free?
No. Tesco and Pod Point ended free charging on 1 November 2022. Before then the 7kW and 22kW chargers were free and the 50kW rapids cost 28p/kWh. All Tesco chargers are now pay as you go.
Do I need an app to use Tesco EV charging?
Not always. The usual way is the Pod Point app, where you top up a balance and start the charge. If you do not want an account, you can charge as a guest through the Zapmap app with a card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Rapid chargers fitted with a card reader also take contactless payments, with a £30 pre-authorisation that is adjusted to the actual cost when you finish.
How do I get Clubcard points from EV charging at Tesco?
Link your Tesco Clubcard in the Pod Point app. You then earn one Clubcard point for every £1 spent charging at Pod chargers at Tesco. Points become Clubcard vouchers worth 1p each in store, or more with Clubcard Reward Partners. Since August 2026 you can also earn points at Be.EV chargers by linking your Clubcard in the Be.EV app.
Does every Tesco have EV chargers?
No. Pod chargers are mainly at Tesco Extra and Superstore car parks, covering more than 600 stores. Most Tesco Express stores have none, although Be.EV has rapid chargers at some Express sites. Check the Pod Point app or Zapmap for your nearest store before you travel.
Can I charge at Tesco without shopping there?
Yes, buying something is not a condition of using the chargers. Tesco car parks often have maximum stay limits, though, and overstaying can lead to a parking charge, so check the signs at the store.
How fast is charging at Tesco?
Most stores have 7kW chargers, which add about 24 miles of range an hour. Some stores also have 22kW chargers (only as fast as your car’s onboard charger, often 7kW or 11kW), and selected stores have 50kW or 75kW rapid chargers, which can add around 70 to 120 miles in 30 minutes depending on the car.
Do I need my own cable to charge at Tesco?
For the 7kW and 22kW chargers, yes: they are untethered, so bring the Type 2 cable that came with your car. Rapid chargers have their own tethered CCS cable, so you do not need one.
Sources
- Pod expands partnership with Tesco to offer Clubcard points for EV chargingPod (podenergy.com)
- Pod partners with Zapmap on public EV charging paymentsPod (podenergy.com)
- Pod public charger terms of use: top-ups, guest access and contactlessPod (podenergy.com)
- Be.EV joins Tesco Clubcard as a points partnerTesco PLC
- UK EV Charging Price Index: average public charging pricesZapmap
- Tesco starts charging to use supermarket charge points (2022)Fleet News
First published 15 May 2026, updated 1 November 2026. We can make mistakes, so check prices in the charging app before you plug in. Also as Markdown.
