EV tariff increases the daily tariff !

[MG Clive]

Obviously all you who have EV tariffs will already know this, but I'm not on one, and I've only just discovered this today.

It'll be different for different suppliers, but if you switch to an EV tariff, yes you get a good rate between 11pm and 5am (or whatever), but it looks as if your normal daily tariff goes up by 4 or 5 pence per unit.

So, and I haven't worked any figures out, but if you only do low mileage, you could end up paying more with an EV tariff, because the saving you make on the low EV tariff will be cancelled out by what you use through the rest of the day.

That's how they get you !

 

[Rolfe]

I think most of the people who have these tariffs also have home batteries. I don't care a button what price ticket they put on the daytime use, because I hardly ever use any.

 

[MG Clive]

I think most of the people who have these tariffs also have home batteries. I don't care a button what price ticket they put on the daytime use, because I hardly ever use any.

Home batteries would certainly be an answer, but to think most people on an EV tariff have them, really surprises me.

 

[Alb]

I don't think most people on an EV tariff have a home battery system. The desirability of an EV tariff centres on the ratio of night/day use. Octopus conveniently shows you the average cost per unit on the monthly bill so you can easily do a comparison with their standard variable rate tariff. It has always worked out cheaper overall for me to stay on Octopus Go.

 

[Kenp1]

I don't think most would have a home battery, I haven't. Just looked at my latest Octopus bill and I paid an average of 15.75p per unit including VAT. I only do about 6000 miles a year, so not lots of charging, but I always try and have a shower and do washing in the cheap period.

 

[5teep]

Obviously all you who have EV tariffs will already know this, but I'm not on one, and I've only just discovered this today.

It'll be different for different suppliers, but if you switch to an EV tariff, yes you get a good rate between 11pm and 5am (or whatever), but it looks as if your normal daily tariff goes up by 4 or 5 pence per unit.

So, and I haven't worked any figures out, but if you only do low mileage, you could end up paying more with an EV tariff, because the saving you make on the low EV tariff will be cancelled out by what you use through the rest of the day.

That's how they get you !

You're right it is how they try to get you but there's a way round it for some at least. That is if you can, you schedule high energy use for the cheaper periods.
Most large domestic appliances come with timers so you make use of them. Set the washing machine, dishwasher, tumble dryer etc to run during the cheaper hours.
In the same way moving to EV needs a change in thinking, so does moving to an EV tariff. I used to do my washing at the weekend, just out of habit Saturday was wash day. Now I do a load as I get enough washing for one, might be 2 or 3 times a week.

 

[EvTek23]

Not only do they get you on the day rate for each kWh on the average EV tariff, but also the daily standing charge.
On EON Next Fixed 18m v23 tariff the standing charge is 32.60p daily, whereas EON Next Drive Fixed v9 ev tariff is 48.03p daily.
It's not that easy to find the standing charge associated with each tariff, so my figures may not be exact but are illustrative.
So it's a careful balance to work out with the increased standing charge and daily rate if its going to be cheaper to swap to an ev tariff.

 

[gazza487]

You're right it is how they try to get you but there's a way round it for some at least. That is if you can, you schedule high energy use for the cheaper periods.
Most large domestic appliances come with timers so you make use of them. Set the washing machine, dishwasher, tumble dryer etc to run during the cheaper hours.
In the same way moving to EV needs a change in thinking, so does moving to an EV tariff. I used to do my washing at the weekend, just out of habit Saturday was wash day. Now I do a load as I get enough washing for one, might be 2 or 3 times a week.

This !!!

It really helped getting an EV in overall cost in an all electric house and the modern storage heaters also great. Car, dishwasher, washing machine, immersion heater, storage heaters. I’d be pulling about 70amps for a decent length of time. The only one I’d really avoid if you aren’t about is the dryer for “safety”. If you want to save on that grab a heat pump dryer.

 

[Gomev]

Obviously all you who have EV tariffs will already know this, but I'm not on one, and I've only just discovered this today.

It'll be different for different suppliers, but if you switch to an EV tariff, yes you get a good rate between 11pm and 5am (or whatever), but it looks as if your normal daily tariff goes up by 4 or 5 pence per unit.

So, and I haven't worked any figures out, but if you only do low mileage, you could end up paying more with an EV tariff, because the saving you make on the low EV tariff will be cancelled out by what you use through the rest of the day.

That's how they get you !

If you know your home usage and how much you put in the car then I did share a spreadsheet where you simply put in those numbers along with the rates and standing charges and it will show your annual costs and compare 2 different tariffs.

If interested in working out your own figures simply please see the following post

Post in thread 'Who is best now?'

Nov 7, 2025

For anyone wanting to compare the annual costs of the tariff they are currently on to a different offering to see whether it's worth switching, please see the attached spreadsheet. It can be difficult to decide as standing charges vary and rates vary by area and of course your own usage, but this should provide you with a tailored to your usage guide.
It's nothing fancy just a simple comparison. Enter you current supplier details and those of another tariff. That is the daily standing charge, peak rate, and off peak rate in the green coloured boxes.
You will of course need to enter your...

• Gomev

• 

 

[MG Clive]

Thanks @Gomev, I'm not actually looking for an EV tariff myself, but my mate who only does about 2k miles explained to me that it wasn't really worth doing for him, that's why I looked into it myself. As long as I continue to get 4 to 12 hours free on Sundays, I'll stick with my normal EDF tariff.

 

[LenEV2016]

I don't have a battery but have 2 EVs and it's considerably cheaper on an EV tariff

 

[5teep]

Thanks @Gomev, I'm not actually looking for an EV tariff myself, but my mate who only does about 2k miles explained to me that it wasn't really worth doing for him, that's why I looked into it myself. As long as I continue to get 4 to 12 hours free on Sundays, I'll stick with my normal EDF tariff.

For me just now when I have to charge the work car it's a real benefit but yes, when I retire and don't do the high mileage any more I'll have to re-evaluate.

 

[Everest]

I've only just discovered this today.

Where have you been? Economy 7 had similar higher day rates - from 1970's till now

 

[MG Clive]

Where have you been? Economy 7 had similar higher day rates - from 1970's till now

Yes I think I've heard of that, never had it though.

 

[Gomev]

For me just now when I have to charge the work car it's a real benefit but yes, when I retire and don't do the high mileage any more I'll have to re-evaluate.

You don't need to do too many miles to benefit from a EV (time of day) tariff.
I only do 6/7000 a year and am on Octopus Go. We are very low users at home though, c.150kWh / month but the EV tariff saves us around £230 a year.

Here is a print of my comparison figures using Go, Octopus Fixed rate and Octopus standard variable rates. A big saving using Go. N.B. These are the figures for my area.

 

[Anon70]

The other thing to remember is the whole house runs at the lower rate, not just the EV charger so if oyu have appliances with delay timers e.g. washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers you can run those more cost effectively. Might even be cheaper to heat a water tank with a low rate immersion heater than gas (but that would need some spreadsheetery to confirm)

 

[MG Clive]

The other thing to remember is the whole house runs at the lower rate, not just the EV charger so if oyu have appliances with delay timers e.g. washing machines, tumble dryers and dishwashers you can run those more cost effectively. Might even be cheaper to heat a water tank with a low rate immersion heater than gas (but that would need some spreadsheetery to confirm)

The wife can't sleep if there's a clock ticking, so she'd love the washing machine going through the night.

 

[Everest]

The wife can't sleep if there's a clock ticking, so she'd love the washing machine going through the night.

I hate noise at night too. Washing machine and dishwasher are a definite no-no. Fortunately we have solar and batteries, so everything is either free or powered by our EV charging tariff in the depths of winter.

 

[Everest]

Might even be cheaper to heat a water tank with a low rate immersion heater than gas (but that would need some spreadsheetery to confirm)

Possible, but it's a lot more complex than a spreadsheet... you'd need to factor in gas price (obviously), but also boiler efficiency, losses in the pipes from boiler to hot water tank - which can be substantial (but less substantial if the boiler is heating the house at the same time as the pipes will already been hot). Then factor in how well insulated the hot water tank is AND finally, when you need the hot water. If you always shower first thing in the morning, then likely to be cheaper, but possibly not if you shower / bath in the evening. Then, there is the issue of how many in your household and how long your immersion element is - the immersion heaters traditionally heat only the top half of the tank, so a) there's not so much water available and b) it cools down quicker due to the cold water remaining in the bottom half. Though tanks with long immersion elements and/or a secondary element at the bottom of the tank exist. We tend to heat our hot water solely from solar production for about 9 months of the year and gas over the winter.