10 Smart Ways to Save on EV Charging
1. Charge your electric car at home
The first and best smart way to save on your EV charging – charging at home.
By far, charging your electric car at home is the cheapest way to charge. Period.
Ditch the three-pin plug charger. Limit your public EV charging. Make charging at home your number one priority.
Why, you ask? Because of smart charging. A not-so-new phenomenon that’s been taking the electric car market by storm.
Forget the dud – or specifically ‘dumb’ – chargers that offer no real benefit. Ones that you simply plug in and charge. No features. No bold look.
With smart home chargers, you can set your EV to start charging automatically overnight, when electricity is at its cheapest and greenest – all made possible with the charge scheduling feature.
Need proof? According to the AA, with this method, you can charge your EV for as little as 5p.
Make sure you’re charging during off-peak times, though – overnight – to take advantage of cheaper charging rates.
2. Smart EV tariff integration
Go the extra mile and don’t just invest in any smart EV charger – get one with EV tariff integration.
Big names like E.ON, British Gas, EDF and Octopus all have their own special EV tariffs to reward EV owners with greener, and even cheaper electricity rates. In fact, these prices are even lower than simply charging during off-peak hours.
For example:
- With Intelligent Octopus Go, you charge during their specified hours for as little as 7p.
- With E.ON, you can charge for 6.9p per kWh
- With British Gas, you can charge for 7.9p per kWh with the Hive charger
But to take advantage of these discounts, you need to meet the set requirements. Most of which include a compatible car charger.
3. Solar electric car charging
Picture sunny days when there isn’t a grey cloud in the bright blue sky. You could be bathing in the sunshine, nestled reading a book or with shovel in hand, gardening – all while you’re charging your EV for free.
To do so, you will need a solar-compatible EV charger and a solar PV system. Plus, it needs to be set up by a professional EV charger installer (a CT clamp will also be required), so it all becomes one cohesive eco-system.
4. Free charging points
Freebies are always a fan favourite. Who can say no?
And EV charging is no different.
While rare nowadays, with the cost of living surging, some charging points are free. Though usually with caveats, including time restraints and purchasing requirements.
5. Take charge at your workplace
On the same wavelength as free charging, you might be able to get free, or at the very least, heavily discounted charging opportunities at your workplace.
If that’s you, make sure you’re making use of these double-duty charging sessions. Save time and money by charging while you work. No longer will you have to plug in at home or swerve off your route home to find a public charging point. Workplace charging offers maximised convenience and maximised morale.
And put it this way, you’re earning money rather than spending it.
6. Scout out public charging networks offering deals and discounts
More and more public charging networks are offering discounts, deals or promotions – whether it’s to promote a new product or partnership. This is exactly when you need to be taking advantage of public charging.
For example, recently, BeEV offered EV owners the chance to charge their EV for only 1p per kWh, which equals a full charge for £1.
Another story is how Zap-Map and Hive have collaborated to offer £20 Zap-Map credit and a Hive charging card when you buy a Hive EV charger.
With this in mind, keep your eyes peeled for deals. Refresh your news page or sign up for public network newsletters to get the latest fix.
7. Charging apps, subscriptions and memberships
Most EV charging networks offer memberships or subscriptions to electric car owners who stop off exclusively at their charging points. Usually, these go as far as their own network, but being loyal will bring you rewards.
At a glance, BP Pulse offers a membership subscription price at 44p for 7kW charging, which is cheaper than the 59p pay-as-you-go fee. IONITY also provides discounted prices for their customers. With no subscription, you’re looking at 74p per kWh. On the other hand, with the passport power subscription, charging is 43p per kWh.
For a wider web of charging networks in one place, try Octopus Electroverse. Over thousands of chargers are available, and if you’re with Octopus for your electricity, you get access to big discounts. Either 8% or 5% depending on the type of Octopus tariff.
8. Sell electricity back to the grid
While not widespread –yet -, bidirectional chargers are the new and improved smart chargers. Not only will you be able to charge your electric vehicle for cheaper, but you will be able to sell any surplus electricity back to the grid.
9. Practice healthy EV charging habits
Hone your EV charging habits and start saving further.
For a quick win, avoid charging when you don’t need to. You’ll save money, time and sanity by not having to plug in.
Why? Because contrary to popular belief, electric cars don’t need to be fully charged all day, every day.
Keeping your EV between 20-80% in the sweet spot is perfect for preventing early battery degradation, paying when charging when you don’t need it and gives you time back that you would otherwise be plugging in.
Explore how to take care of your EV battery.
10. Avoid rapid and ultra-rapid charging
While home charging is without a doubt the cheapest (and best, in our opinion) way to charge your electric car, rapid and ultra-rapid charging can be some of the worst.
Not only can frequent charging with high power outputs damage your battery, but it’s also the most expensive.
To paint a picture, compare charging your EV for 7p per kWh with the Intelligent Octopus Go Tariff at home to charging at one of InstaVolts’ rapid charging stations for 87p per kWh.
The total cost difference is clear.
While the hours to charge are shorter, the higher the charging rate (or charging speed), the higher the cost.
Our advice? Limit your trips to public charging points. We recommend only using rapid and ultra-rapid charging stations when you need them.
Use our EV charging cost calculator to find out how much you can save.
Ready to start saving? Combine our smart ways to save on EV charging with a smart EV charger, and save BIG.
Long gone are the days of refuelling your petrol or diesel car. Now, charge your EV at home – from the comfort of your own doorstep. If you have an electric vehicle (EV) and want to start saving immediately, invest in your home charger today.
Trust We Power Your Car. With expert, DBS-checked, accredited EV charger installers, we can supply and install wherever you are in the UK – all with exceptional customer service. Plus, with close partnerships to leading EV charge point manufactures, we can offer a wide range of the best EV chargers on the market.
Browse our EV chargers, get a free quick and easy quote, or contact us today for unbiased advice below.