EV tariffs: Are they worth it in 2026?

Updated on 1st January 2026 by:

Max Suttner

Pricing & Demand Forecast Specialist, British Gas

 

If you own an electric vehicle (EV), you’ve probably heard about EV tariffs. These are special energy tariffs designed for EV owners. They offer cheaper electricity rates during off-peak hours compared to peak hours – typically overnight when demand is low. The idea is simple: charge your car when it’s cheaper and save money on your energy bills.

In the last few years, EV tariffs have grown in popularity and it’s easy to see why. With a two-rate tariff you can take advantage of a cheap electricity night-rate to charge your car while you’re sleeping. Then pay a higher day-rate to power your home.

Whether you’re looking for an EV tariff, a charger or thinking about switching to an electric vehicle, there are a lot of different things to consider. So, in this blog we’re going to take a deep dive into EV tariffs and explore what they are, as well as whether an EV tariff is worth it.

But before we get into it, are you curious about how much you could save?

Check out our EV tariffs and try our EV tariff calculator for a personalised savings estimate.

What is an EV tariff?

An EV tariff is simply a special electricity deal that gives you cheaper power when most people are sleeping. The price drops during off-peak hours (usually between midnight and 5am), which means you can charge your car for less while you're tucked up in bed.

Many electric cars now let you set charging times through their apps. So just like setting an alarm on your phone, you can schedule your car to charge when the cheaper rate kicks in. That way, you can plug in when you get home, but your car will wait for the cheaper hours to start charging.

To make the most of an EV tariff, you’ll need an electricity smart meter which you can get installed by your energy supplier for free.¹ Your smart meter will then automatically send meter readings to your supplier, so they can be sure to bill you at the off-peak price when you charge up overnight.

What are the benefits of an EV tariff?

Switching to an EV tariff comes with a range of benefits that makes home charging cheaper, smarter and more sustainable. Here’s how:

Save on EV charging with British Gas

With the British Gas EV Power V2 tariff, you’ll get 9 p/kWh night rate saving you an average of 16p/kwh on our standard electricity fixed rate and 17p/kwh on our standard variable electricity price.

With a working smart meter on our EV Power fixed tariff, you’ll pay 25% less per charging session than a customer on a standard fixed tariff (assuming you use the full 5 hours of cheaper charging provided by the EV tariff). That's not all! An average household with an Electric Vehicle consumes more than double the electricity of a standard household. Standard tariffs aren't built for this type of consumption. Taking this into account, the expected annual saving is approximately £334!

If that's not enough, with a compatible EV charger you can have exclusive access to Hive EV Power +, this will give you a whopping 25% discount on any EV consumption. With this, any consumption between the hours of midnight and 5am would cost you 6.75 p/kwh. Simply plug in, input when you need your vehicle by in the app and your charge will be optimised to be available for that time at a cheaper cost.

Haven't got a home charger yet? We're making EV charging cheaper for customers who purchase a Hive EV charger, wherever they are. 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 take savings beyond your driveway.

New customers get £20 in credit, the equivalent to 100 free miles, to use at thousands of public charging points nationwide.

Save even more with an electric car tariff

Owning an electric vehicle is great for lowering your carbon footprint, but it can be good news for your wallet, too. As we’ve explained, charging at home is often cheaper than using public charging stations. And you can use your charger or EV app if you have one to schedule your charges during the cheaper nighttime hours.

But, there’s also are no rules on what you can use the cut-price electricity for during off-peak hours. If you’re with British Gas you also get half price electricity on Sundays with PeakSave. So, 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

Driving tips to improve EV efficiency

Here’s some tips to boost efficiency and reduce consumption and costs as an electric vehicle user:

• Accelerate smoothly and gently. Rapid acceleration drains your battery faster
• Keep your speed steady. Avoid speed fluctuations which can waste energy
• Observe speed limits. Staying within speed limits improves range
• Use regenerative breaking. Ease off the accelerator early when slowing down
• Limit use of heating and air conditioning. HVAC systems have impact range, so use it only when you need to
• Avoid full charges unless needed. Charging to 80% instead of a full charge can prolong battery life and reduce energy wastage
• Charge during off-peak hours. Most EV tariffs offer a two-rate tariff with cheaper off-peak electricity rates between the hours of 12am – 5am or 7am

Are EV tariffs right for you?

EV tariffs are not necessarily for everyone. For example, if you only do a small number of miles per year and you don’t regularly use a home charger, or if you use a lot of energy during the daytime, you may be better off charging on a standard variable tariff - see EV vs petrol guide gives for more information.

If you’re clocking up a decent number of miles and you typically charge your car at home. And if your job and lifestyle mean you can regularly plug your electric vehicle in overnight, then an EV tariff could save you money over time. 

The more you can shift your charging to those cheaper nighttime hours, the more you’ll save.

It’s also worth mentioning that with a British Gas EV tariff it doesn’t matter what make or model of electric vehicle you drive. It can be fully electric or a plug-in hybrid.

And if you’re considering our Electric Driver tariff, it’s not important what type of charger you own.

Try our EV tariff savings calculator to see how much you could save.

How can I switch to a British Gas EV tariff?

We’ve made it quick and easy to switch. Get a quote online in minutes and we’ll take care of everything else – including sorting you out with a smart meter if you need one.

If you’re an existing British Gas customer, it’s even easier. Just log in to your account to switch.

Thinking of installing an EV charger at home? We answer your questions.