Electric vehicle (EV) energy tariffs
Fix your energy prices with our EV tariff and enjoy cheaper off-peak electricity at just 7.9p per kWh between 12am-5am.
Already with us? Access your online account and change to our EV tariff to save money and carbon in 2025.
What is an EV tariff?
An EV tariff is a specialised energy plan for electric vehicle owners who charge their cars at home. Unlike other energy tariffs, EV tariffs offer lower electricity rates during off-peak hours, such as the British Gas EV tariff that offers super cheap electricity between 12am and 5am.
They often have a two-rate structure, with higher daytime rates balancing the lower night-time costs. EV tariffs require a smart meter and are tailored to the EV lifestyle, potentially offering significant savings for those who primarily charge their vehicles overnight.
Why choose our EV tariff?
- It works for all EV drivers with any make of EV and with any home charger.
- Our electric car energy tariff is a smart “two-rate tariff”, which charges different rates for peak and off-peak hours.
- ·Between 12am-5am every day you’ll get a super low off-peak price for electricity. That's 35 total off-peak hours every week to charge your car.
- We keep the daytime rate for our EV tariff as close as possible to our normal electricity rates, so you get great value.
- We offer one, easy to understand EV tariff designed for all electric vehicle drivers
You can save more on electricity with our EV tariff
If you own an electric car, charging at home is often cheaper than using public charging stations – particularly if you’re on an EV tariff.
There are no rules on what you can use the cut-price electricity for during off-peak hours. As well as charging your EV during off-peak hours you could:
- Use higher-energy appliances, like washing machines and dishwashers.
- Charge up your smartphones, laptops and tablets.
How to save money with off-peak electricity
Stay in control of your EV energy bill
- Use your charger or EV management app to schedule your EV charges during the cheaper night-time hours.
- Get a free electricity smart meter upgrade to help keep an eye on your spending.
Try our EV tariff savings calculator
Compare EV charging costs
Our EV tariff savings calculator compares EV charging costs to how much you're currently paying for your electricity per charge and annually. It also compares your estimated EV charging costs with our EV tariff and the cost of charging at public chargers, potentially saving you up to thousands each year.4 And for the environmentally conscious, you'll also find out the estimated reduction in CO2 emissions versus a traditional petrol vehicle.
How to use the savings calculator
To estimate what you could save, simply input your car model, expected annual mileage and how much you're currently paying for your electricity (if you’re not sure we can compare costs to current Ofgem price cap rates).
You'll be able to see just how much you can save per charge and annually in comparison to your current tariff.
How to get our EV tariff
- If you’re a new customer, join us on any tariff. Once we’ve set up your account and connected your smart meter, you can switch to the EV tariff in your online account.
- If you’re an existing customer, simply login to your online account and change to our EV tariff.
- You’ll need to have an electric vehicle you charge at home. We might ask you to prove this.
- You'll need an electricity smart meter. If you don’t have an electricity smart meter, we’ll upgrade you to a smart meter, at no extra cost.
- You’ll have to pay by Direct Debit.
How we quote an electric vehicle tariff
When you sign up to our electric car tariff, we’ll estimate your annual costs. We base this on how much electricity you’ve used in the past. If we can’t find these details, we’ll base this on the average amount EV owners normally use.
Average EV owners typically charge their vehicles about three times a week during off-peak hours, and twice a fortnight during peak hours using 10kWh of electricity a time. Our estimate assumes that 33% of the electricity you use is during off-peak hours.
Please note, factors like car age, charging habits and electricity usage could mean your actual yearly costs differ from our estimate.
What EV home charger do you have?
Already have a Hive EV charger? When paired with Hive EV Charging and SmartCharge our EV Power Tariff offers a lower charging rate.1
With SmartCharge, you could get a 4p/kWh credit saving on all your EV charging with Hive SmartCharge.2 Combine this with our EV Power tariff, and you could be paying an equivalent of just 3.9p/kWh if you plug in overnight between 12am – 5am.
If you’ve already got an EV charger from another brand, then you can still benefit from our EV tariff. Get a quote and see what you could save.
If you’re yet to buy an EV charger, our market-leading FreeCharge offers 12 months of free home3 charging when you buy a Hive EV charger and get your electricity from us.
Save on EV Charging at home and on the road
British Gas is revolutionising the EV charging experience for customers who purchase a Hive EV charger. Not only can you enjoy cost-effective charging at home, but we've also partnered with Zapmap, the UK's leading EV public charging service, to extend savings beyond your driveway.
New customers receive a £20 credit, the equivalent to 100 free miles, redeemable at thousands of public charge points nationwide. This initiative addresses the range anxiety concern shared by 80% of prospective EV owners, making on-the-road charging as straightforward and worry-free as home charging.
By combining our FreeCharge proposition with the Zapmap partnership, British Gas ensures you benefit from cost savings whether you're charging at home or whilst out and about.
More on our Zapmap partnership
Charge your EV for less. Switch to our EV charging tariff
See how much you could save by switching to our EV tariff that lets you charge your electric vehicle for less.
Service you can rely on
We won Best Overall Improvement in the Uswitch Energy Awards 2024.
This means we performed best - out of all energy suppliers - at improving our overall customer satisfaction scores this year.
Frequently asked questions
Are EV tariffs good value?
For many EV households though, an electric vehicle (EV) tariff could be are a good option. Electric vehicle energy tariffs might not offer the best value if your driving patterns mean you don’t charge much at home or need to regularly charge your car during peak hours.
Get an EV tariff quote online and we’ll show you prices for our standard tariffs as well, so you can compare.
Read our blog - Are EV tariffs worth it - for electric vehicle owners. Learn how they work, their benefits, and how they can save you money on charging costs.
Is my daytime electricity rate higher on this EV tariff to offset the cheaper night time rate?
Our EV energy tariff is a two-rate tariff, that gives you cheaper electricity overnight. This means you can charge your car – or use your washing machine, dishwasher etc and take advantage of the lower priced electricity.
We’ve tried to keep the daytime rate for our EV tariffs as close as possible to our normal electricity rates, but they are higher.
When you get an energy quote online we’ll show you our EV tariffs and our standard tariffs so you can choose what’s right for you.
How do I sign up for this EV tariff?
If you’re an existing customer, log in to switch to get the EV tariff. If you’re a new customer, you can get a quote for our EV tariff in a few minutes online.
Does this electric car charging tariff work with Economy 7?
Unfortunately, our EV tariff doesn’t work with Economy 7. If you switched to this tariff, your storage heaters won’t work properly, so it’s better for you to stay on a special E7 tariff.
Does this EV tariff work with solar panels?
Yes, we fit smart meters for customers with solar panels and micro generation equipment in their home.
Why do I need an electricity smart meter to sign up for your electric vehicle energy tariff?
A smart meter tells us exactly when you’re using your electricity. We need to know how much energy you’re using during the day and during the cheaper night-time hours so that we can give you an accurate bill.
Without an electricity smart meter, you won’t be able to get the lower unit rate at night.
Do I need a gas smart meter to sign up for this electric car tariff?
We would always recommend fitting a gas smart meter, but in the case of the EV Power tariff you only need an electricity smart meter. If you wish to install a gas smart meter, please speak with our customer representative when signing up for the EV Power tariff.
What if I want to switch from this EV tariff?
You can change to another one of our tariffs or another energy supplier at any time.
What happens if I move home while I’m on this EV charging tariff?
If you're moving home, we’ll need to check that you have the correct set up at your new home, just give us a call and we’ll look into signing you up for an EV energy tariff again.
What if I want to sign up for your EV charging tariff, but it’s not possible to install smart meters in my home?
Most homes are suitable for smart meters. Sometimes we won’t find out that we can’t fit your smart meter until our engineer comes to install one. If this happens, you can stay on the EV Power tariff, but you won’t get the cheaper night time rate.
However, it probably makes sense to switch to another tariff – just give us a call and we’ll be happy to recommend one, or you’ll be able to change tariff in your online account.
Additional information
Based on electricity prices correct as of 01/11/2024. When you plug in your EV for 6 hours or more covering the period of 12am to 5am, you’ll qualify for a 4p credit towards your EV tariff night rate of 7.9p/kWh for all electrical consumption. 4p/kWh credit also applies at any other time of day on any other British Gas electricity tariff if your EV is left plugged in for 6 hours or more.
By managing your charger with Hive SmartCharge we’ll give you a credit each month with money back directly on your British Gas bill.
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FreeCharge is only available for customers with a Hive EV Charger (purchased on or after 19th October 2023) and a British Gas Electricity Tariff and Smart Meter. Maximum consumption limits apply. Please read the FreeCharge Terms & Conditions and FAQs on the Hive website.
Based on using 1,998 kWh annually, where the British Gas off-peak EV tariff saves you £356 compared to the Standard Variable tariff linked to the Ofgem energy price cap rate, £881 compared to public slow/fast chargers and £1,361 compared to average rapid/ultra-fast public chargers, according to data published by ZapMap.