Electric vehicles
Home vs public rapid charging: 7.6p, 26.32p and 75p per kWh compared
Last checked: 15 October 2026 · PlugLater
Per kWh, public rapid charging usually costs several times what a home off-peak rate does. This page puts the site’s three rates next to published public prices and shows what a mix of home and public charging costs over a year.
The rates
- 7.6p/kWh: Intelligent Octopus Go off-peak, 23:30–05:30, at home.
- 26.32p/kWh: Ofgem’s October–December 2026 price cap average, if you charge at home on a standard tariff.
- 75p/kWh: the homepage calculator’s illustration of public rapid charging. It is not a published average.
- 54p and 79p/kWh: Zapmap’s weighted average pay-as-you-go prices for September 2026, for standard chargers (3 kW up to 49 kW) and rapid and ultra-rapid chargers (50 kW and above). Zapmap says prices actually paid are often lower because of memberships and offers.
Pence per mile for five cars
| Car | mi/kWh | Off-peak 7.6p | Cap 26.32p | Public standard 54p | Rapid 75p (illustration) | Rapid avg 79p |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 RWD | 4.59 | 1.7p | 5.7p | 11.8p | 16.3p | 17.2p |
| Vauxhall Corsa Electric 54 kWh | 4.03 | 1.9p | 6.5p | 13.4p | 18.6p | 19.6p |
| MG4 Urban Comfort Standard Range | 3.70 | 2.1p | 7.1p | 14.6p | 20.3p | 21.4p |
| Tesla Model Y RWD | 3.92 | 1.9p | 6.7p | 13.8p | 19.1p | 20.2p |
| Kia EV3 Long Range | 3.58 | 2.1p | 7.4p | 15.1p | 20.9p | 22.1p |
Each car’s miles per kWh is from the site’s 142-car table (EV-Database real-range consumption).
Named network prices
Prices change often, so these are dated. Checked 15 October 2026:
- InstaVolt: £0.92/kWh, or £0.55/kWh for app and RFID users on sessions started 20:00–07:00. Contactless and roaming are £0.92 at all times. (InstaVolt pricing terms)
- Tesla Superchargers open to all drivers: 69p/kWh on average, and 48p/kWh on average for Tesla drivers, according to Zapmap’s September 2026 index. (Zapmap Price Index)
- Sainsbury’s Smart Charge: 72p/kWh, and Believ: 66p/kWh, both pay-as-you-go prices quoted by Zapmap for September 2026.
A mixed year: 80% at home, 20% rapid
Most drivers with a driveway do most of their charging at home. Take a Tesla Model Y RWD at 3.92 mi/kWh and 8,000 miles: 2,041 kWh.
- All at home on 7.6p: 2,041 × £0.076 = £155.
- 80% at home on 7.6p (1,633 kWh = £124.08) plus 20% at 75p (408 kWh = £306.12): £430.20.
- The same 20% at Zapmap’s 79p rapid average would be £322.45 instead of £306.12.
- 80% at home on the 26.32p cap plus 20% at 75p: £735.84.
In this example the public fifth of the miles costs more than twice as much as the four-fifths charged at home. Plug your own split into the homepage EV calculator, which shows a public charging bar.
No driveway?
- Home EV tariffs need you to charge at home. So Energy, for example, says that if you rely on public charge points you won’t be eligible for So EV.
- On-street and destination chargers fall in Zapmap’s standard band, 54p/kWh on average in September 2026: cheaper than rapid, but about double the price cap.
- Some networks have cheaper off-peak or membership prices, like InstaVolt’s 55p app rate overnight. Workplace chargers, where available, are priced by the employer.
- Some EV tariffs come with public charging extras: OVO’s Charge Anytime plans include a public charging voucher, and Octopus says its EV tariff customers get a discount on its Electroverse network. See UK EV tariffs compared.
Per-car costs at home: Tesla Model 3, Tesla Model Y, Vauxhall Corsa Electric, Renault 5, MG4, Nissan Leaf, Kia EV3.
Questions people ask
Is public rapid charging more expensive than charging at home?
Usually by a lot. Zapmap’s September 2026 average for rapid and ultra-rapid pay-as-you-go was 79p/kWh, against 26.32p at the price cap and 7.6p on Intelligent Octopus Go overnight. In a Tesla Model 3 RWD that is about 17.2p a mile on a rapid charger and 1.7p off-peak at home.
How much does it cost to charge at a public charger per mile?
At 54p/kWh (Zapmap’s September 2026 average for standard public chargers) it is about 13.4p a mile in a Vauxhall Corsa Electric and 15.1p in a Kia EV3 Long Range. At 79p rapid it is 19.6p and 22.1p.
Is the 75p rapid figure a real price?
No. It is the homepage calculator’s round illustration. Named network prices and Zapmap’s averages are on this page with dates.
Is this financial advice?
No. Public prices change often and vary by site. Check the price in the network’s app before you plug in.
Not financial advice. These are worked examples from published rates and EV-Database consumption estimates, for planning only. Your own tariff, day rate, standing charge, car, driving and weather will change the numbers. Check your bill and your supplier’s current terms before you switch or buy anything.
Sources
- Zapmap, Price Index (September 2026, updated 7 October 2026)
- InstaVolt, pricing terms and conditions
- So Energy, So EV eligibility
- OVO, Charge Anytime
- Octopus Energy, EV tariffs and eligibility FAQ
- Octopus Energy, Intelligent Octopus Go (checked 15 October 2026)
- Ofgem, energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (1 October–31 December 2026)
- EV-Database, UK real-world consumption list (Wh/mile)
- PlugLater, UK EV tariffs compared (checked 15 October 2026)
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