EV Charging Cost Calculator UK (2026)
Your annual EV charging cost
Three inputs, no email required. Rates are the real October 2026 figures: the Ofgem cap, the main EV tariffs and Zapmap's public-charging averages.
The UK average is around 7,000 to 8,000 miles a year.
Real-world miles per kWh, including winter losses.
Figures are estimates based on October 2026 rates: Ofgem price cap 26.32p/kWh, Intelligent Octopus Go 7.6p off-peak, Zapmap public-charging averages (May 2026). Standing charges are excluded because you pay them on any tariff. Off-peak costs assume your charging lands inside the cheap window. Regional rates vary.
What will each tariff actually cost you?
Off-peak rates are almost all the same nationwide - but your peak rate and standing charge vary by region, so your total annual bill does too. Pick your region and usage for an estimated whole-bill comparison.
Estimate only, for the region you select. Off-peak rates are national (Ecotricity's varies by region) and verified against each supplier; peak rates and standing charges are the latest regional figures (Octopus, British Gas, ScottishPower, Ecotricity and Good Energy per region; E.ON national; the Ofgem regional cap as a proxy where a supplier doesn't publish a regional peak). † marks a rate we couldn't confirm against an official source - verify it with the supplier. Always check a live quote for your postcode before switching.
‡ Still on the old 5% VAT basis, so likely a little high now that electricity VAT is 0%: E.ON Next Drive standing charge: last verified at its August 2026 price, including 5% VAT.
How the maths works
The calculator divides your annual mileage by your car's real-world efficiency to get the electricity you buy in a year, then multiplies by the pence-per-kWh rate you selected:
Annual cost = (miles ÷ mi/kWh) × rate
Three honest caveats. First, we exclude standing charges: you pay one on every tariff, so it cancels out when comparing rates (the October 2026 cap standing charge is 54.83p/day). Second, off-peak figures assume your charging happens inside the cheap window - a smart charger and a compatible tariff handle this automatically, and our off-peak window guide covers the edge cases. Third, winter efficiency drops of 15 to 25% are why we quote real-world mi/kWh bands rather than manufacturer figures - our winter charging guide explains where the range goes.
For the full worked examples behind these numbers, see what it costs to charge an EV at home, EV cost per mile and the five-year EV vs petrol comparison.
Does the calculator include the standing charge?
How much cheaper is an EV tariff than the price cap?
Is public rapid charging really more expensive than petrol?
What if I cannot charge at home?
Now find the right tariff
Every active UK EV tariff ranked by effective cost, with the regional breakdown most comparison sites skip.