The cost to charge an electric car at home depends on your electricity tariff, the size of the car’s battery and how much energy you need to put back into it.
As a simple example, charging a 60kWh battery from empty to full at 25p per kWh would cost around £15, before allowing for charging losses. On a cheaper overnight EV tariff, the same amount of electricity could cost considerably less.
In this guide, we’ll explain how much it costs to charge an electric car at home in the UK, how to calculate the cost for your own EV, the difference an overnight tariff can make and how home charging compares with public charging and petrol or diesel.
HouseOhm tip: Don’t judge an EV purely by the cost of a “full charge”. Cost per mile is usually a much more useful comparison because most drivers rarely charge from completely empty to completely full.
How much does it cost to charge an electric car at home?
The cost of charging an electric car at home is mainly determined by two things: how many kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity you use and how much you pay for each kWh.
For example, if your electricity costs 25p per kWh:
| Battery energy added | Approximate electricity cost |
|---|---|
| 20 kWh | £5.00 |
| 40 kWh | £10.00 |
| 60 kWh | £15.00 |
| 80 kWh | £20.00 |
| 100 kWh | £25.00 |
For context: Ofgem’s average electricity unit rate for a household paying by Direct Debit under the energy price cap is 26.11p per kWh from July to September 2026. From 1 October 2026, the average rate will be 26.32p per kWh. Actual rates vary by region, payment method and tariff, and specialist EV tariffs can offer much cheaper electricity during selected off-peak periods.
The basic calculation is:
Energy added (kWh) × electricity price (£/kWh) = charging cost
So, adding 50kWh of energy at 25p/kWh would cost:
50 × £0.25 = £12.50
In real life, the amount of electricity drawn from your home will usually be slightly higher than the amount that reaches the vehicle’s battery because some energy is lost during charging.
This means a simple battery-capacity calculation is best treated as an estimate rather than an exact figure from your electricity bill.
It’s also important to remember that you don’t normally arrive home with a completely empty battery. If you use 15kWh during the day, you’re essentially paying to replace roughly that energy rather than paying for the entire capacity of the battery every night.
What about cheaper overnight EV tariffs?
This is where home EV charging can become particularly attractive.
Some UK electricity suppliers offer tariffs with cheaper electricity during certain overnight hours. If your car or home charger can be scheduled to charge during that period, the cost can be significantly lower than charging at the standard daytime rate.
As an illustration, adding 60kWh of energy would cost:
At 25p/kWh: £15.00
At 10p/kWh: £6.00
At 7p/kWh: £4.20
That’s why two households driving exactly the same electric car can have very different charging costs.
However, don’t choose an electricity tariff based on the EV rate alone. Check the tariff’s other rates, the hours during which the cheaper price applies and whether those terms suit the rest of your household’s electricity use.
How much does an electric car cost per mile to charge at home?
The price of a full charge can be useful, but cost per mile is often a better way to understand EV running costs.
Electric cars are commonly described by their efficiency in miles per kWh. The more miles the car can travel using one kWh of electricity, the less it costs per mile.
For example, an EV averaging 3.5 miles per kWh and charging at 25p per kWh would cost approximately:
25p ÷ 3.5 = 7.1p per mile
Charge the same car at an overnight rate of 7p per kWh and the calculation becomes:
7p ÷ 3.5 = 2p per mile
Here’s how different electricity prices could affect the cost:
| Electricity price | EV efficiency | Approx. cost per mile |
|---|---|---|
| 25p/kWh | 3.5 miles/kWh | 7.1p |
| 20p/kWh | 3.5 miles/kWh | 5.7p |
| 10p/kWh | 3.5 miles/kWh | 2.9p |
| 7p/kWh | 3.5 miles/kWh | 2.0p |
These figures are simplified examples. Real-world efficiency changes with the vehicle, weather, driving speed, heating and air conditioning, journey type and other factors.
Charging losses also mean the electricity recorded by your home or charger may be slightly higher than the energy ultimately stored in the battery.
Nevertheless, the calculation gives you a useful way to compare different tariffs and vehicles.
What could that mean over a year?
Suppose you drive 10,000 miles per year and your EV averages 3.5 miles per kWh.
The car would need roughly 2,857kWh of energy to cover those miles, before allowing for charging losses.
At 25p per kWh, that’s approximately £714 per year.
At 7p per kWh, it’s approximately £200 per year.
The difference in this simplified example is more than £500 a year, which shows why the electricity tariff can have such a large effect on the economics of running an EV.
Your actual cost will depend on your mileage, vehicle efficiency, charging losses and how much charging you can complete at the cheaper rate.
How long does it take to charge an electric car at home?
How long an electric car takes to charge at home depends on the charging power available, the vehicle’s onboard charger and how much energy needs to be added to the battery.
For many UK homes, a dedicated 7kW EV charger is a common home-charging solution.
As a rough guide, a 7kW charger can theoretically supply around 7kWh of energy per hour, although actual charging rates and losses mean real-world figures will vary.
This means adding 40kWh of energy might take roughly six hours on a 7kW charger.
Typical home EV charging times
| Energy to add | Approx. 2.3kW socket | Approx. 7kW charger |
|---|---|---|
| 20kWh | 9 hours | 3 hours |
| 40kWh | 17–18 hours | 6 hours |
| 60kWh | 26 hours | 8–9 hours |
| 80kWh | 35 hours | 11–12 hours |
These are approximate figures rather than guaranteed charging times. The vehicle may limit the charging rate, and charging power can also vary during a charging session.
The important point is that most drivers don’t need to recharge an entire battery every night. If you’ve used 20kWh during the day, that’s roughly the amount you’re trying to replace.
Can you charge an EV from a normal 3-pin socket?
Some electric vehicles can be charged using suitable portable charging equipment connected to a standard domestic socket, but charging this way is considerably slower than using a dedicated home charger.
A portable charger operating at around 2.3kW might take more than a full day to deliver 60kWh of energy.
There are also important electrical considerations. EV charging can place a substantial load on an electrical circuit for many hours, so you shouldn’t assume that any convenient socket, extension lead or existing electrical installation is automatically suitable for regular vehicle charging.
Never use an ordinary domestic extension lead as a makeshift EV charging solution.
Electrical Safety First recommends using a dedicated EV charge point for home charging, installed by a suitably qualified and competent electrician.
If you’re planning to charge an EV regularly at home, it’s sensible to have the proposed charging arrangement and the electrical installation assessed by a competent installer.
HouseOhm tip: Don’t choose a home charger purely because it has the highest advertised power. The right solution depends on the vehicle, electrical supply, existing installation and how you actually use the car.
How much does a home EV charger cost to install?
The cost of charging an electric car at home isn’t just about the electricity you use. If you don’t already have a suitable home charger, you’ll also need to consider the cost of having one installed.
As a broad UK guide, a straightforward installation of a 7kW home EV charger can often cost around £800–£1,500, including the charger and installation.
However, the price can vary significantly depending on the property, the charger you choose and the electrical work required.
What can affect the installation price?
Factors that can affect the cost include:
- The make and model of EV charger
- Distance between the consumer unit and charger
- Cable routing and installation difficulty
- Whether cables need to be buried or concealed
- The condition and capacity of the existing electrical installation
- Earthing arrangements
- Whether additional electrical equipment or protection is required
- Load management requirements
- Wi-Fi, mobile-data or other connectivity requirements
- Whether remedial electrical work is needed before installation
A simple installation with the consumer unit close to the driveway may therefore cost considerably less than an installation requiring a long cable route, groundwork or alterations to the existing electrical installation.
Do you need to upgrade your electricity supply?
Not necessarily. Installing an EV charger doesn’t automatically mean your home’s incoming electricity supply needs upgrading.
Modern EV charging installations can use load management to monitor electricity demand and reduce the charger’s power when necessary, helping prevent the property from exceeding an agreed limit.
However, the existing electrical installation and supply still need to be considered as part of the design.
This is particularly important in homes with several significant electrical loads, such as electric heating, electric showers, heat pumps, induction cooking, solar batteries or multiple EVs.
A competent EV chargepoint installer should assess the relevant electrical requirements rather than simply fitting a charger and assuming the existing installation is suitable.
UK government guidance also sets out technical and safety requirements for electric vehicle chargepoints and their installation.
HouseOhm tip: When comparing EV charger quotations, check what’s actually included. A cheaper headline price may be based on a very simple installation, with longer cable runs, groundwork or additional electrical work charged separately.
Can a smart EV tariff make home charging cheaper?
For many EV owners, when you charge can matter almost as much as how much electricity you use.
Some UK energy suppliers offer tariffs with cheaper electricity during particular overnight periods. By scheduling the car or charger to operate during those hours, drivers may be able to reduce their charging costs significantly.
Many modern home chargers allow you to set charging schedules through an app. Some vehicles can also control charging times themselves, so you may not need to start and stop charging manually.
Before choosing an EV tariff, check:
- The off-peak electricity price
- How many hours the cheaper rate lasts
- The standard daytime electricity rate
- Whether the tariff has any eligibility requirements
- Whether your vehicle or charger is compatible where required
- How much of your household electricity use could be shifted into cheaper periods
A very cheap advertised overnight rate doesn’t automatically make a tariff the cheapest overall. If the daytime rate is higher, the rest of your home’s electricity consumption needs to be considered too.
Can you charge an electric car from solar panels?
Yes. If your home has solar panels, some of the electricity generated by them can potentially be used to charge your EV rather than being imported from the grid.
How useful this is depends on factors including the size of the solar installation, weather, household electricity demand, when the car is at home and the capabilities of the EV charger.
Some smart EV chargers can adjust charging to make greater use of surplus solar generation. This can be particularly useful if the car is regularly parked at home during daylight hours.
However, a typical domestic solar installation won’t necessarily provide the full power required by a 7kW charger continuously. Solar generation changes throughout the day and can fall quickly when conditions change.
The charger, vehicle and electrical installation therefore need to work together appropriately rather than assuming the EV will simply run entirely from “free solar”.
What if you have a home battery?
A home battery adds another layer of flexibility.
Depending on the system and electricity tariff, a household may be able to store solar electricity or cheaper off-peak grid electricity and use that energy later.
However, it doesn’t automatically make sense to charge a home battery simply to discharge it into an EV. Battery efficiency, usable capacity, electricity prices and the additional cycling of the battery all need to be considered.
In some homes, it may be more efficient to schedule the EV itself to charge directly during the cheapest electricity period while reserving the home battery for household demand.
The best strategy depends on the individual property, tariff, solar system, battery and driving pattern.
HouseOhm tip: If you’re planning solar panels, battery storage and an EV charger, thinking about them as one home energy system can produce a better result than buying each product separately without considering how they’ll work together.
Is charging an electric car at home cheaper than petrol or diesel?
In many cases, charging an electric car at home can cost less per mile than driving a comparable petrol or diesel car, particularly if you can make use of cheaper overnight electricity.
The fairest way to compare them is by looking at cost per mile rather than comparing the price of a tank of fuel with the price of a full battery.
Example EV vs petrol running costs
Imagine an electric car averaging 3.5 miles per kWh.
At an electricity price of 25p per kWh, its simplified energy cost would be around:
25p ÷ 3.5 = 7.1p per mile
At an overnight electricity rate of 7p per kWh, that falls to approximately:
7p ÷ 3.5 = 2p per mile
Now consider a petrol car averaging 40mpg with petrol costing £1.45 per litre.
One UK gallon is approximately 4.546 litres, so a gallon would cost around £6.59.
At 40mpg, that works out at approximately:
£6.59 ÷ 40 = 16.5p per mile
| Example | Approx. energy/fuel cost per mile |
|---|---|
| EV at 7p/kWh, 3.5 mi/kWh | 2.0p |
| EV at 25p/kWh, 3.5 mi/kWh | 7.1p |
| Petrol at £1.45/L, 40mpg | 16.5p |
These are illustrative figures rather than current national prices. Electricity tariffs and fuel prices change regularly, while vehicle efficiency can vary significantly.
Charging losses also mean the real electricity cost of the EV will be slightly higher than the simplified figures above.
Even so, the example demonstrates why drivers who can do most of their charging at home — particularly during a cheap overnight period — can achieve relatively low energy costs per mile.
Public charging changes the calculation
The picture can be very different if you rely heavily on public charging.
Public charging prices vary considerably depending on the network, location and charging speed. Rapid and ultra-rapid chargers can cost substantially more per kWh than electricity at home.
This means an EV owner who mainly charges overnight at home may have very different running costs from someone who relies heavily on public rapid chargers.
When deciding whether an EV makes financial sense for you, consider where you’ll realistically do most of your charging, rather than basing the calculation entirely on the cheapest advertised home tariff.
HouseOhm tip: If you have off-street parking and can install a suitable home charger, home charging is one of the biggest opportunities to reduce the everyday energy cost of running an EV.
Home EV charging FAQs
How much does it cost to fully charge an electric car at home?
It depends on the amount of energy being added and your electricity price.
As a simple example, adding 60kWh at 25p per kWh would cost approximately £15, before allowing for charging losses.
On an overnight rate of 7p per kWh, the same 60kWh of electricity would cost £4.20.
Most drivers won’t regularly charge from completely empty to completely full, so the cost of replacing the energy used each day is often a more useful figure.
Is it cheaper to charge an electric car at night?
It can be. Some electricity tariffs offer substantially cheaper rates during certain overnight periods.
If your vehicle or charger can be scheduled to charge during those hours, this can significantly reduce the cost of home charging.
Always compare the whole tariff, though — not just the advertised EV charging rate.
How much electricity does an EV use each year?
This depends on your mileage and the efficiency of the vehicle.
For example, an EV travelling 10,000 miles per year at an average of 3.5 miles per kWh would require approximately 2,857kWh of energy at the battery, before allowing for charging losses.
A less efficient vehicle, colder weather or higher annual mileage would increase electricity consumption.
Does a 7kW charger use 7kW all the time?
No. A charger rated at 7kW doesn’t necessarily draw 7kW continuously whenever a vehicle is connected.
Charging power can depend on the vehicle, battery state, charger settings, load management and other factors. Once charging is complete, the vehicle won’t simply continue drawing its full charging power.
Do I need a special electricity tariff for an EV?
No. You can charge an electric vehicle while remaining on a normal domestic electricity tariff.
However, if you regularly charge at home, an EV or time-of-use tariff may reduce your costs if you’re able to move a significant amount of charging into cheaper periods.
Is a 7kW home charger worth having?
For many drivers with off-street parking, a dedicated home charger provides faster and more convenient charging than relying on a standard domestic socket.
Whether it’s worthwhile for you depends on your mileage, vehicle, parking arrangements, electrical installation and how frequently you need to charge.
Can I install an EV charger myself?
A home EV charger isn’t simply another appliance to screw to the wall. The installation needs to take account of the existing electrical installation, supply, earthing arrangements, protective measures and the requirements applicable to EV charging equipment.
Have the installation designed, installed, tested and certified by someone competent to carry out the work.
The bottom line
For many UK drivers, home charging is one of the most convenient and potentially cheapest ways to charge an electric car.
The calculation itself is straightforward:
kWh used × your electricity price = approximate charging cost
But your real running cost also depends on vehicle efficiency, charging losses and — importantly — your electricity tariff.
A driver using a cheap overnight tariff could pay considerably less per mile than someone charging the same vehicle entirely at a standard daytime rate. Solar panels and smart charging can create further opportunities to manage when and where your electricity comes from.
Before installing a home charger, make sure the charger and electrical installation are properly assessed rather than choosing purely on price or advertised charging speed.
HouseOhm is about helping homeowners understand the numbers, the technology and the electrical installation behind home EV charging — so you can make a more informed decision.
Important: This guide provides general information for UK homeowners. Electricity tariffs, fuel prices, vehicle efficiency and charging costs change over time, so example figures should not be treated as quotations or guaranteed running costs. EV charging equipment should be installed by a suitably competent person and in accordance with the requirements applicable to the installation.