Drivers on British Gas, OVO, EON and Octopus told to switch or lose £375 | Personal Finance | Finance

Electric vehicle (EV) drivers on British Gas, OVO, E.ON and Octopus Energy are being urged to switch to a dedicated EV tariff or risk overpaying by up to £375 per year. According to experts at The Solar Co, as many as 292,500 Brits could be overpaying by more than £300 per year by not switching to a fixed energy tariff.

Current smart off-peak tariffs range from 6.7p (E.ON Next, Next Drive v9) to 10p/kWh (Scottish Power, EV Optimise), charging a 60 kWh EV overnight cost between £4 and £6, depending on the provider. This equates to around 2 to 3.6p per mile, assuming average efficiency. Research from the company, based on comparing standard-variable rates with tariffs for existing customers, found that drivers on a standard variable rate with E.ON could be overpaying by £374.80 by not switching to a Next Drive v9 EV tariff.

Meanwhile, OVO customers could save up to £368.80 a year by moving to a Charge Anytime tariff and Octopus Energy users could be missing out on annual savings of £368.80 by not opting for the Intelligent Octopus Go plan. 

British Gas customers could cut their yearly EV charging costs by £350.80 by switching to an Electric Driver v16 tariff, while EDF users may be overpaying by up to £329 by not switching to the GoElectric plan. 

Calculations are based on an average 60KW EV travelling 8,000 miles annually with energy efficiency of 4 miles per kWh. The annual cost of charging an EV at the standard variable rate of 25.44p per kWh was calculated to be £508.80.

With fuel prices still high and more EVs hitting the road every month, the cost of inaction on energy tariffs is growing so drivers are being urged to switch now, as it takes just minutes to do and most tariffs only require a compatible smart meter and EV charger.

George Penny, EV Charging Expert and Director at The Solar Co, warned: “Electric Vehicle ownership is surging and as of June 2025, there are now 1.55 million electric vehicles (EVs) registered across the UK. In just the first six months of 2025, around 225,000 new EVs were registered. If this trend continues, we could see a total of 450,000 new EVs on the road by the end of the year.

“However, 65% of Brits don’t have a fixed energy tariff in the UK. That means roughly 292,500 households that have bought an EV this year, or are about to, could be on the wrong EV energy tariff – potentially overpaying by up to £374.80 a year. And now, with the UK Government’s new EV cash grant available to help cover upfront costs for EV buyers, it’s more important than ever that drivers pair this incentive with the right energy tariff – or risk cancelling out savings.

“Switching to a smart EV tariff isn’t just a smart move – it’s essential if you want to avoid throwing away thousands each year. By moving to an off-peak or EV-specific plan, you could cut your EV charging costs by over 90% compared to public charging stations that may cost about £45 per charge, or save over 73% compared to standard variable electricity rates.”

Drivers who are looking to switch to an EV-specific tariff are advised to follow three steps before making the change.

Scott Byrom, CEO of The Energy Shop, said: “Start by checking your current tariff to confirm whether you are on the standard variable rate – this can be done via a recent bill or your energy account. If you’ve never switched, you will automatically be on your energy supplier’s “standard variable tariff”. 

“Next, compare EV tariffs using an Ofgem-accredited energy switching website such as Uswitch, GoCompare or The Energy Shop. Look for plans with cheap off-peak rates (as low as 7–12p/kWh overnight). 

“Once you’ve chosen a tariff, begin the switching process – it usually takes five days and includes a 14-day cool-off period should you change your mind. Then, use your supplier’s app or your vehicle settings to schedule charging during off-peak times to maximise savings.”