EV Charging Cost Per Mile in the UK: Home Solar vs Grid vs Public Charging
Charging an EV from home solar costs around 0.5–1p per mile. From a home tariff it's 3–5p. From a public rapid charger, up to 13p. The difference over 10,000 miles a year is over £1,000.
The Numbers That Actually Matter
The UK government's official figure for EV charging cost is often quoted as "2–4p per mile" — but that hides enormous variation. Where you charge and when you charge determines whether your EV costs less than 1p per mile to run or more than 13p. Here's the breakdown.
Home Charging: Standard Tariff
On a standard variable tariff at £0.24/kWh (the 2026 UK average), a typical EV costs:
| EV model | Consumption | Cost per mile |
|---|---|---|
| Nissan Leaf 40 kWh | 3.4 miles/kWh | 7.1p/mile |
| Tesla Model 3 RWD | 4.2 miles/kWh | 5.7p/mile |
| VW ID.4 Pro | 3.0 miles/kWh | 8.0p/mile |
| Kia EV6 AWD | 2.8 miles/kWh | 8.6p/mile |
At 10,000 miles per year in a Nissan Leaf, that's £710/year on a standard tariff.
Home Charging: Smart EV Tariff (Octopus Go)
Octopus Go offers a £0.075/kWh overnight rate from 00:30–05:30. For drivers who can shift most charging to this window:
| EV model | Cost per mile (Octopus Go) |
|---|---|
| Nissan Leaf 40 kWh | 2.2p/mile |
| Tesla Model 3 RWD | 1.8p/mile |
| VW ID.4 Pro | 2.5p/mile |
At 10,000 miles/year, the Leaf on Octopus Go costs £220/year — a saving of £490 versus the standard tariff.
Home Solar: What It Actually Costs Per Mile
Solar electricity has a different cost structure — the panels are a capital investment, but the fuel itself is free. To calculate a true cost per mile from solar, we spread the system cost over 25 years:
A 7-panel system in London (2.8 kWp) costs ~£6,500 installed and produces ~2,200 kWh/year for 25 years. Over 25 years that's 55,000 kWh — a cost of £0.118/kWh, or roughly 3.5p/mile for a Tesla Model 3.
But that figure assumes you use solar only for driving — in practice, the panels also offset household electricity, so the per-mile cost allocated to the car is effectively lower.
If you already have solar panels for household use and the EV simply absorbs the daytime surplus, the marginal cost of that surplus is close to zero — since you'd otherwise export it at 5–15p via SEG rather than pay 24p to import it.
Effective cost from solar surplus: 0–1p per mile.
Public Rapid Charging
Public charging costs vary widely, but 2026 averages look like:
| Network | Typical rate | Cost per mile (Model 3) |
|---|---|---|
| Pod Point (7 kW AC) | £0.44/kWh | 10.5p |
| BP Pulse (50 kW DC) | £0.55/kWh | 13.1p |
| Tesla Supercharger | £0.46/kWh | 11.0p |
| Osprey (150 kW DC) | £0.61/kWh | 14.5p |
| Osprey (free grids) | £0.00/kWh | 0p |
Public rapid charging at £0.55/kWh costs more than petrol for many drivers. At 13p/mile for a large EV, versus ~11p/mile for a 40mpg petrol car at £1.40/litre, the cost advantage disappears entirely.
The Real Cost Hierarchy
From cheapest to most expensive per mile in 2026:
- Home solar surplus: ~0–1p/mile
- Octopus Go overnight: ~2–2.5p/mile
- Standard home tariff: ~5–8p/mile
- Public AC charging: ~9–12p/mile
- Public rapid/ultra-rapid DC: ~11–15p/mile
What This Means Over 10,000 Miles Per Year
| Charging method | Annual cost (Model 3, 10,000 miles) |
|---|---|
| Home solar surplus | ~£50–100 |
| Octopus Go overnight | ~£180 |
| Standard home tariff | ~£570 |
| Public charging (mixed) | ~£900–1,100 |
The gap between solar + smart tariff and public charging is over £1,000 per year. Over a typical 3-year ownership period, that's £3,000+ in charging savings — often more than the residual value difference between EV models.
The Optimal UK EV Charging Strategy
The lowest lifetime cost comes from combining two approaches:
- Solar panels for daytime and weekend charging (0–1p/mile)
- Octopus Go or Intelligent Octopus for overnight top-ups (2p/mile)
This hybrid approach means you almost never touch public rapid chargers except on long journeys — and on long journeys, Tesla Superchargers or the Osprey network at motorway services are the most cost-effective option.
Enter your home postcode in the VoltSun Charge Planner to see today's optimal charging window based on live solar forecast and electricity prices — updated daily for your location.
Want a new EV with up to 40% off? Octopus EV Salary Sacrifice → lets UK employees save on Income Tax and National Insurance when leasing an EV through their employer — free to set up for the company.