Electric vehicle (EV) owners in the UK can significantly reduce charging costs by timing their sessions carefully, according to Richard Evans, head of technical services at webuyanycar. He advises that off-peak hours—roughly 1:30 am to 6:30 am in summer and spring, or 12:30 am to 5:30 am in autumn and winter—are consistently the cheapest times to charge, especially with EV-focused tariffs.
Major suppliers offer off-peak rates as low as 6.7p to 9p per kWh. For example, E.ON Next Drive provides a fixed off-peak rate of 6.7p per kWh between midnight and 7 am, while EDF’s GoElectric Overnight tariff delivers 9p per kWh for five hours each night. Octopus Go offers 8.5p per kWh from 12:30 am to 5:30 am, and Intelligent Octopus Go has rates as low as 7p per kWh for compatible vehicles. These compare favourably to the average on-peak home charging cost of 27.43p per kWh, as reported by WeCovr.
Beyond regular off-peak savings, Evans highlights 'plunge pricing'—special discounts on public charging when renewable energy supply is high. These events typically occur mid-week (Tuesday to Thursday) and are triggered by surplus wind or solar generation. Companies like Octopus Energy notify customers via apps such as Octopus Electroverse, offering discounts of 15% to 45% per kWh at over 7,500 charge points. In exceptional cases, drivers could even be paid to charge when wholesale prices go negative.
The UK EV market is growing rapidly, with 29,634 new Battery Electric Vehicles sold in January 2025 alone. The used market is also becoming more accessible, with one in three used EVs now under £20,000. As more drivers switch to electric, understanding these charging strategies becomes increasingly important for cost savings.
