EV tariffs
Intelligent Octopus Go vs Octopus Go: 7.6p vs 9.5p, and what you give up
Last checked: 15 October 2026 · PlugLater
| Intelligent Octopus Go | Octopus Go | |
|---|---|---|
| Off-peak rate | 7.6p/kWh | 9.5p/kWh |
| Cheap window for the home | 23:30–05:30 (6 hours) | 00:30–05:30 (5 hours) |
| Extra cheap slots | Up to 6 hours of smart charging a day at 7.6p, which can be outside the window; the whole home gets the rate in those slots | None |
| Day rate | 34.95p–38.82p by region | 33.55p–37.42p by region |
| Standing charge | 42.29p–66.74p a day by region | Same as Intelligent Octopus Go |
| Who controls charging | Octopus schedules it through the app | You, with the car’s or charger’s timer |
| Car and charger | Compatible car or supported smart charger | Any EV and charger |
| Exit fee (fixed versions on sale) | £50 | £50 |
Rates are the 12-month fixed versions on sale on 15 October 2026, Direct Debit, from Octopus’s own tariff data. Octopus says it is only offering fixed rates at the moment, and lists both versions as on sale until 20 October 2026, so check the rates for your postcode before you switch.
The car charging, worked out
Take the Tesla Model 3 RWD at 4.59 mi/kWh and 8,000 miles: 1,743 kWh, all charged in the cheap hours.
- Intelligent Octopus Go: 1,743 × £0.076 = £132.
- Octopus Go: 1,743 × £0.095 = £166.
- Difference: £34 a year, because the off-peak rates are 1.9p apart.
The day rate pulls the other way
In every region, Intelligent Octopus Go’s day rate is 1.40p higher than Octopus Go’s, and the standing charge is the same. So the smart tariff saves 1.9p on every kWh in the cheap hours (car and home) and costs 1.40p more on every kWh outside them.
A quick break-even: (car kWh + other night kWh) × 1.9p against daytime kWh × 1.40p. For the Model 3 example, the car alone saves £34. That outweighs the higher day rate unless the home uses more than about 2,365 kWh a year outside the cheap hours (1,743 × 1.9 ÷ 1.40). Your smart meter data or app shows your own day and night split. Smart-charging slots outside the window lower your daytime kWh further, because the whole home gets 7.6p during them.
| Region | Intelligent Go day | Go day | Standing charge |
|---|---|---|---|
| East of England | 37.48p | 36.08p | 51.67p |
| East Midlands | 35.57p | 34.17p | 50.75p |
| London | 35.88p | 34.48p | 42.29p |
| Merseyside and North Wales | 38.82p | 37.42p | 66.74p |
| West Midlands | 35.29p | 33.89p | 56.61p |
| North East England | 35.62p | 34.22p | 60.70p |
| North West England | 36.94p | 35.54p | 44.85p |
| Southern England | 36.91p | 35.51p | 47.47p |
| South East England | 37.69p | 36.29p | 52.21p |
| South Wales | 37.06p | 35.66p | 54.36p |
| South West England | 37.57p | 36.17p | 55.52p |
| Yorkshire | 34.95p | 33.55p | 60.86p |
| South and Central Scotland | 36.37p | 34.97p | 61.44p |
| North Scotland | 37.65p | 36.24p | 55.28p |
When Octopus Go suits better
- Your car or charger isn’t supported by Intelligent Octopus Go. Octopus Go works with any EV and charger. Check compatibility on Octopus’s Intelligent Octopus Go page.
- You want charging to start at a fixed time you control, and not be scheduled by Octopus.
- Your home uses a lot of electricity in the day compared with what the car uses, past the break-even above.
- You want to use another flexibility service. Octopus says Intelligent Octopus Go enrols you in its own, so you can’t join another while on the tariff.
Five hours at 7.4 kW is 37.0 kWh, against 44.4 kWh in six, so Octopus Go’s shorter window rarely limits an average driver. See miles from one overnight charge. How Intelligent Octopus Go’s cheap hours work is in the Intelligent Octopus Go guide, and the full field of tariffs is in UK EV tariffs compared.
To try your own numbers, type each tariff’s off-peak rate and your day rate into the custom rate boxes in the homepage EV calculator.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between Intelligent Octopus Go and Octopus Go?
Intelligent Octopus Go is 7.6p/kWh from 23:30 to 05:30 and Octopus schedules your car’s charging, with up to six hours a day at that rate. Octopus Go is 9.5p/kWh from 00:30 to 05:30 and works with any EV and charger on your own timer. On the fixed versions on sale on 15 October 2026, Intelligent Octopus Go’s day rate is 1.40p higher in every region.
Is Intelligent Octopus Go cheaper than Octopus Go?
For the car, yes: 8,000 miles in a Tesla Model 3 RWD is £132 against £166. Because its day rate is 1.40p higher, a household with a lot of daytime use can pay more overall. For that example the break-even is about 2,365 kWh a year of use outside the cheap hours.
Can I use Octopus Go with any car?
Yes. Octopus says Octopus Go is compatible with all EVs and chargers. You need to be an Octopus customer with a smart meter it can connect to.
Is this financial advice?
No. It is arithmetic from Octopus’s published rates on one day. Get a quote for your postcode before you switch.
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
- Octopus Energy, Intelligent Octopus Go (checked 15 October 2026)
- Octopus Energy, Octopus Go (checked 15 October 2026)
- Octopus Energy, EV tariffs and eligibility FAQ
- Octopus Energy tariff API, Intelligent Octopus Go 12M Fixed October 2026 v1
- Octopus Energy tariff API, Octopus Go 12M Fixed September 2026 v2
- EV-Database, Tesla Model 3 RWD
- Ofgem, energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (1 October–31 December 2026)
- PlugLater, UK EV tariffs compared (checked 15 October 2026)
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