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By David Lewis, Electric Vehicle & Clean Energy Journalist.
How much you pay to charge an electric car depends on where, when, and how you charge. At home on a dedicated EV tariff, it can cost as little as 3p per mile, or less. At a public rapid charger, the cost per mile can rival petrol.
Even on a standard home tariff at the current Ofgem price cap rate of 24.67p per kWh (April to June 2026), running an EV costs 63% as much per mile as a petrol or diesel car. Switch to an off-peak EV tariff at around 9.5p per kWh and you could save over 85% on fuel.
This guide covers every scenario – home charging, public chargers, rapid motorway chargers, workplace charging, and free charging – with up-to-date, verified cost figures throughout. Use our interactive Fuel Cost Calculator to model your own savings.
The cost of charging an electric car in the UK varies widely depending on where and when you charge. Here are the typical costs across the four most common charging scenarios, based on a 60 kWh battery (approximately 200 miles of range):
| Location & Tariff | Cost to Charge | Cost per Mile |
| Home charging (off-peak EV tariff, e.g. 9.5p/kWh) | £5.70 for a full charge | 2.71p per mile |
| Home charging (standard Ofgem cap rate, 24.67p/kWh) | £14.80 for a full charge | 7.05p per mile |
| Public AC charging (54p/kWh) | £32.40 for a full charge | 15.43p per mile |
| Public DC rapid/ultra-rapid charging (76p/kWh) | £45.60 for a full charge | 21.71p per mile |
For context, running a typical petrol or diesel car costs around 19p per mile at current pump prices.
Notes: All public charging figures are based on Zapmap's weighted average PAYG prices for February 2026. Home tariff rates reflect Ofgem's energy price cap for Q2 2026 (April to June). EV efficiency is assumed at 3.5 miles per kWh, which reflects typical real-world driving. Your actual costs will depend on your car, your tariff, and your driving habits. Try our interactive Fuel Cost Calculator to model your own figures (see below).
Whether you charge at home, at work, or on the go, this guide explains what you'll pay in each scenario and how to keep costs as low as possible. Jump to the section that matters most to you:
Home charging is the cheapest way to run an electric car. Around 80% of EV charging in the UK happens at home, and for good reason: it's significantly cheaper than public charging and far cheaper than petrol or diesel. The exact cost depends on two things: the size of your car's battery and the electricity tariff you are on.
If you haven't switched to a specialist EV tariff, you'll probably be paying the standard variable rate set by Ofgem's Energy Price Cap. The cap limits the maximum unit rate that energy suppliers can charge households on default tariffs. It is reviewed and updated every quarter.
The current Ofgem cap rate for Q2 2026 (April to June) is 24.67p per kWh. Here is what it typically costs to fully charge three common battery sizes at the capped, standard rate:
| Battery Size (net) | Makes & Models | Full Charge Cost |
| 77 kWh | Ford Explorer Select, VW ID.7 Tourer Match Pro Plus | £19.00 |
| 60 kWh | Tesla Model 3 Standard RWD, Hyundai Ioniq 5 Advance | £14.80 |
| 39-40 kWh | Nissan Micra Engage, Hyundai Inster 01 | Approximately £9.70 |
At a typical real-world efficiency of 3.5 miles per kWh, this works out at roughly 7p per mile regardless of battery size. That compares to about 19p per mile for a petrol or diesel car.
The biggest savings come from switching to a dedicated home EV electricity tariff. These offer substantially cheaper rates during off-peak hours – typically overnight – in exchange for a higher daytime rate.
These dedicated EV tariffs work on the same principle: you charge your car overnight at a reduced rate, and your car or charger handles the scheduling automatically so you don't need to stay up late plugging in.
For example: On an off-peak rate of 9.5p per kWh, charging a 40 kWh battery overnight costs approximately £3.80, compared with around £9.87 at the standard Ofgem cap rate of 24.67p per kWh. That is a saving of over 60% on every charge.
One important point: EV tariffs come with a higher daytime rate for all household electricity, e.g. 33p per kWh which is higher than the current Ofgem cap rate of 24.67p. For most households, the overnight EV charging savings comfortably outweigh the higher daytime cost, but it is worth checking your overall household usage before switching. In my case, we now run two electric cars, and the savings over petrol are so large that the higher daytime rate has become a non-issue.
The table below shows typical annual electricity costs for charging an EV at home, compared with the equivalent annual fuel cost of a petrol or diesel car. The final column shows how much you could save each year by switching to electric and charging on a 9.5p per kWh off-peak tariff.
| Annual Mileage | EV Off-Peak Rate | EV Standard Rate | Petrol/Diesel | Saving: Off-Peak vs. Petrol/Diesel |
| 5,000 | £136 | £352 | £966 | £830 |
| 8,000 | £217 | £564 | £1,545 | £1,328 |
| 10,000 | £271 | £705 | £1,931 | £1,660 |
| 15,000 | £407 | £1,057 | £2,897 | £2,490 |
| 20,000 | £543 | £1,410 | £3,862 | £3,320 |
Even on the standard Ofgem cap rate, an EV driver covering 10,000 miles a year saves over £1,200 compared with petrol/diesel. On an off-peak EV tariff, that saving rises to roughly £1,660.
Assumptions: EV efficiency of 3.5 miles per kWh; off-peak rate of 9.5p per kWh; standard rate of 24.67p per kWh (Ofgem Q2 2026 cap); petrol/diesel price of £1.678 per litre; petrol/diesel efficiency of 39.5 mpg.
To charge at home, you will need a dedicated EV charging point – commonly known as a wallbox – professionally installed. While you can charge from a standard 3-pin domestic socket, this is very slow and most manufacturers recommend against regular use.
Select Car Leasing customers can choose from three E.ON Next home chargers, all including professional installation and a 3-year warranty:
At 7.4 kW, all three can fully charge a 40 kWh battery in under 6 hours overnight. Browse the full details in our EV charger guide.
If you rent your home or live in a flat, you may be eligible for the government's EV Chargepoint Grant, which covers up to £350 towards installation costs.
When you are out and about, you will find AC charging points at a growing number of everyday locations across the UK. These so-called 'destination' chargers are typically installed at supermarkets, shopping centres, gyms, hotels, restaurants, and public car parks. They charge at similar speeds to a home wallbox – usually at 7.4 kW – so they are best suited to topping up your battery while you go about your day rather than waiting specifically for a charge.
The cost of destination charging is higher than charging at home. According to Zapmap's weighted average for February 2026, the typical pay-as-you-go (PAYG) rate at public chargers up to 49 kW is 54p per kWh. That is more than double the standard home Ofgem cap rate.
To put that in perspective: if you plug in at a supermarket charger and add 30 kWh to your 60 kWh battery – roughly half a charge, or around 105 miles of range – it would cost you approximately £16.20 at the average PAYG rate. The same top-up at home on the Ofgem cap rate would cost £7.40, or just £2.85 on a 9.5p off-peak tariff.
If you need to charge quickly on a longer journey, you will use a rapid or ultra-rapid charger, typically found at motorway service stations and major route hubs. These charge at 50 kW and above, and can add significant range in 20-40 minutes.
Rapid charging is considerably more expensive than charging at home. According to Zapmap, the PAYG rate across the Top 10 rapid charging networks in February 2026 ranged from 56p/kWh to 89p/kWh.
Prices vary between networks and depend on how you pay. There are four common payment methods:
Since 2024, new public charge points of 8 kW and above, and existing public charge points of 50 kW and above, must offer contactless payment.
Here are typical PAYG rates for five of the largest rapid charging networks:
| Network | PAYG Rate |
| Tesla Supercharger | from 56p/kWh (varies by location and time of day) |
| bp pulse | 89p/kWh (69p/kWh with £7.85/month subscription) |
| InstaVolt | 89p/kWh (60p/kWh off-peak via app) |
| Osprey | 82-87p/kWh (app vs. contactless) |
| Shell Recharge | 79p/kWh |
Source: Zapmap Rapid Charging Prices, February 2026. Rates are PAYG and change frequently. Check with each network before charging.
If you can charge at home, and lease an EV with decent battery range, high public DC charging rates rarely represent a problem. We do roughly 99% of our annual charging at home, and only use rapid chargers on very long trips.
With so many rapid charging networks, each with its own app and pricing, it can be difficult to keep track. Network aggregators solve this by giving you a single account, app, or charge card that works across multiple networks.
Rather than downloading separate apps for every network you might use, an aggregator lets you find chargers, start a session, and pay – all in one place. Some also offer discounted rates or subscription deals that bring per-kWh costs below the standard PAYG price.
The main aggregators available in the UK include:
A growing number of employers now offer EV charging in the workplace. For some, it's free; others charge a subsidised rate or pass on the electricity cost. Either way, workplace charging can significantly reduce your reliance on expensive public chargers, particularly if you can't charge at home.
Workplace chargers are typically AC units rated between 7.4 and 22 kW. Do note, however, that your particular EV will have a maximum AC charging rate, and you may well not be able to charge at the full 22 kW (assuming the charger is capable of 22 kW).
While AC workplace chargers are not as fast as rapid DC chargers, they are ideal for topping up your battery over the course of a working day.
One of the most useful ways to compare electric and petrol or diesel running costs is on a cost-per-mile basis. The table below shows what you pay per mile across five common charging scenarios, together with the percentage saving – or additional cost – compared with a conventional petrol or diesel car:
| Charging Scenario | Cost per Mile | vs. Petrol/Diesel |
| Home off-peak EV tariff (9.5p/kWh) | 2.71p | 86% cheaper |
| Home standard tariff (24.67p/kWh) | 7.05p | 64% cheaper |
| Public AC charging (54p/kWh) | 15.43p | 20% cheaper |
| Public rapid charging (76p/kWh) | 21.71p | 12% more expensive |
| Petrol/diesel | 19.31p | n/a |
The message is clear: home charging on an off-peak EV tariff costs around 3p per mile – 86% less than petrol or diesel. Even on a standard home tariff, the saving is over 60%. Public AC destination charging is also cheaper than petrol/diesel, while rapid charging on the motorway is more expensive per mile, reinforcing why home charging should be your primary strategy and rapid charging kept for longer journeys when you need it.
Assumptions: EV efficiency of 3.5 miles per kWh; home off-peak rate of 9.5p per kWh; home standard rate of 24.67p per kWh (Ofgem Q2 2026 cap); public AC rate of 54p per kWh and public rapid rate of 76p per kWh (Zapmap weighted average PAYG, February 2026); petrol/diesel price of £1.678 per litre; petrol/diesel efficiency of 39.5 mpg.
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Get in touch now with one of our friendly leasing consultants on 0118 3048 688
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Charging costs vary from car to car depending on the size of the battery. A compact city car with a small battery costs far less to charge than a large SUV, though the larger car will take you further between charges. The table below shows what it costs to fully charge five popular EVs available to lease through Select Car Leasing, at both the standard Ofgem cap rate and an off-peak EV tariff rate:
| Make & Model | Usable Battery | WLTP Range | Full Charge (standard, 24.67p) | Full Charge (off-peak, 9.5p) | Cost per Mile (standard) | Cost per Mile (off-peak) |
| BMW iX3 | 108.7 kWh | 493 miles | £26.82 | £10.33 | 5.4p | 2.1p |
| Porsche Macan Electric | 94.9 kWh | 398 miles | £23.41 | £9.02 | 5.9p | 2.3p |
| BYD Seal | 82.5 kWh | 323 miles | £20.35 | £7.84 | 6.3p | 2.4p |
| Ford Puma Gen‑E | 43.6 kWh | 233 miles | £10.76 | £4.14 | 4.6p | 1.8p |
| Dacia Spring | 24 kWh | 140 miles | £5.92 | £2.28 | 4.2p | 1.6p |
The pattern is clear: even the most expensive car on the list – the BMW iX3 – costs just over £10 to fully charge on an off-peak EV tariff, delivering 493 miles of WLTP range. The cheapest car to charge is the Dacia Spring at just £2.28, with the lowest cost per mile of any car on the list at 1.6p off-peak.
Note that usable battery capacity is typically 90-95% of the manufacturer's advertised battery size. The figures above use usable capacity, which reflects what you actually pay to charge. WLTP range figures are manufacturer estimates; real-world range may be 10-20% lower depending on driving conditions, speed, and weather. Cost per mile is calculated from usable battery capacity and WLTP range.
Not all electric cars deliver the same savings on charging costs. The type you choose makes a significant difference.
A fully electric car – known as a Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) – offers the greatest savings by far. BEVs have large batteries that you plug in to charge, allowing you to take full advantage of cheap home electricity. On an off-peak EV tariff, a BEV can cost as little as 2-3p per mile to run.
A Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) is the next best option. PHEVs have a medium size battery alongside a petrol engine. If your daily driving is under 30 miles or so, you can run mostly on electricity and make good savings. Drive further than that and the petrol engine takes over, which means you start paying petrol prices.
A conventional Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV), sometimes called a self-charging hybrid, has a very small battery that you cannot plug in. You won't benefit from cheap electricity at all – you'll still be filling up with petrol.
The bottom line: if your primary goal is to minimise charging costs, lease a BEV and charge at home on an EV tariff.
The cheapest way to charge an electric car is to plug in at home overnight on an off-peak EV tariff, but getting the most out of that setup requires a smart charger.
A smart charger connects to your home Wi-Fi and communicates with your energy tariff. You plug your car in whenever you get home, and the charger automatically delays charging until the cheapest rate kicks in – typically overnight. You wake up to a fully charged car without having to think about it.
Popular smart chargers available through Select Car Leasing include the Wallbox Pulsar Max and the Vestel EV04. Most modern EVs also have built-in charge scheduling via the car's own app or dashboard, giving you a second layer of control.
Bear in mind, though, that if your car has a very big battery, e.g. 80 kWh+, and you get home with say only 10% charge, you may not be able to fully charge to 100% and keep within your tariff's cheap charging window. The trick is to top up your EV's battery regularly, so each charge takes place during the off-peak slot.
The figures in this guide are based on averages and assumptions. Your actual charging costs will depend on your specific car, your electricity tariff, and how many miles you drive each year.
To find out exactly what you could save by switching to electric, use our free Fuel Cost Calculator. Simply move the slider to enter your annual mileage and the tool will show you typical yearly fuel costs for both a petrol/diesel car and an electric car, at both the standard Ofgem cap rate and a typical off-peak EV tariff.
It is one of the quickest ways to see, in pounds and pence, how much cheaper an EV could be to run based on your own driving habits.
On the standard Ofgem cap rate of 24.67p per kWh (Q2 2026), a full home charge costs between £11 and £30 depending on the size of your car's battery. On an off-peak EV tariff at 9.5p per kWh, the same charge costs between £3.80 and £10.33. Smaller cars with 40 kWh batteries sit at the lower end; larger SUVs with 100 kWh+ batteries sit at the upper end.
Public AC destination chargers (up to 49 kW) cost an average of 54p per kWh on a PAYG basis, according to Zapmap data for February 2026. Rapid and ultra-rapid chargers (50 kW+) average 76p per kWh. For a typical 60 kWh battery, a full public AC charge costs around £32, while a rapid charge costs around £46.
Home charging is significantly cheaper. On the standard Ofgem cap rate, home electricity costs 24.67p per kWh, roughly half the price of a public AC charger and around a third of the cost of a rapid charger. On an off-peak EV tariff at 9.5p per kWh, home charging is up to eight times cheaper than rapid public charging.
It depends on where you charge. At home on a typical off-peak EV tariff, an electric car costs approximately 3p per mile. On the standard Ofgem cap rate, it costs around 8p per mile. Public AC charging works out at roughly 15p per mile, and rapid charging at around 22p per mile. All figures assume an average real-world efficiency of 3.5 miles per kWh.
The cheapest way is to charge at home overnight on a dedicated EV electricity tariff. You can usually find off-peak rates of 9.5p per kWh or lower, bringing the cost per mile down to around 3p. Pairing this with a smart charger that automatically schedules charging during the cheapest hours ensures you always pay the lowest rate.
A dedicated home wallbox typically costs between £950 and £1,100 fully installed, including professional installation. Select Car Leasing customers benefit from exclusive pricing on E.ON Next chargers starting from £954. If you rent your home or live in a flat, the government's EV Chargepoint Grant may cover up to £350 towards the cost.
Yes, in some locations. Certain supermarkets, retail parks, gyms, and hotels offer free EV charging to attract customers. Workplace charging may also be free depending on your employer. Free chargers are typically slower AC units (7-22 kW), so they are best suited to topping up while you shop or work rather than for a full charge.
Rapid chargers (50 kW+) are the most expensive way to charge. The average PAYG rate in February 2026 was 76p per kWh (Zapmap), with individual networks ranging from 56p to 89p per kWh. A 30-minute rapid charge adding around 30 kWh to your battery would cost roughly £17-£27 depending on the network.
That depends on your mileage. A driver covering 10,000 miles per year would use approximately 2,857 kWh of electricity. On the standard Ofgem cap rate of 24.67p per kWh, that adds around £705 to your annual electricity bill. On an off-peak EV tariff at 9.5p per kWh, it adds approximately £271. In both cases, you would no longer be paying for petrol or diesel.
Yes, for the vast majority of drivers. At current fuel prices of £1.6780 per litre on average, a petrol or diesel car costs approximately 19p per mile. Charging an EV at home on the standard Ofgem cap rate costs around 7p per mile – less than half. On an off-peak EV tariff, the cost drops to around 3p per mile, saving over 85%. Pretty much the only scenario where an EV can cost more per mile than petrol is the use of rapid public chargers at peak rates.
Home charging on an off-peak EV tariff is by far the cheapest way to run an electric car. At a typical 9.5p per kWh tariff, it costs around 3p per mile – a saving of over 85% compared with petrol or diesel at current prices.
Even on the standard Ofgem cap rate of 24.67p per kWh, an EV costs more than half as much per mile as a petrol or diesel car. The savings add up quickly: a driver covering 10,000 miles a year could save over £1,600 by charging at home on an off-peak tariff.
Public charging is more expensive, particularly at rapid chargers, so it makes sense to do the bulk of your charging at home and keep rapid charging for longer journeys when you need it.
Here is what to do to keep your electric car charging costs as low as possible:
Leasing also removes the risk of battery degradation affecting your car's value. At the end of your lease, you simply hand the car back and upgrade.
Ready to explore electric? Browse our latest EV lease deals.
Need help choosing an electric car or an EV charging point? Hungry for more electric vehicle knowledge? Read our handy guides:
If you're leasing an electric vehicle and have off-street parking, you're definitely going to want a dedicated charging point installed. Choose from our range of popular chargers and, if you're eligible, secure the £350 OZEV grant.
You know what to look out for in a petrol/diesel car, but what about electric? What are the differences? Plug-in, hybrid, or full electric? Which is best? Which offers the most savings and protects the environment? Read our guide...
To support our fantastic EV lease deals, we have a wide-ranging set of guides to answer all your electric questions. We cover topics like range, how to choose an EV, what are BEVs, PHEVs and HEVs, and much more.
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