Compare electric vehicle tariffs: Next Drive Fixed vs Next Drive Smart.

Key takeaways: Which EV tariff Is right for you?

• Next Drive Smart (NDS): Our lowest EV tariff, plus cheap daytime charging slots. Requires the E.ON Next Home app and a compatible EV or charger. 

• Next Drive Fixed (NDF): Best for simple, fixed costs. Offers two-rates, with a low off-peak rate, which you set using your car or charger's built-in schedule. Works with EVs and chargers without needing an app, fixing your peak and off-peak rates for 1 year with zero exit fees. 

• Both tariffs: No exit fees and the lower electricity rates apply to your entire household during off-peak windows, not just your electric car. 

• Solar, battery and heat pump owners: Both tariffs offer off-peak pricing, meaning you can pre-charge home batteries or run heat pumps overnight at a reduced rate.

Quick comparison: Next Drive Fixed vs Next Drive Smart.

How does Next Drive Fixed work and is it right for me?

Simple, plug-and-forget charging. 

If you prefer straightforward energy management without checking an app, Next Drive Fixed keeps things simple. It operates as a two-rate tariff designed specifically for electric vehicle owners. You get a lower off-peak price between 12am and 6am every single night, while daytime usage carries our standard peak rate.

Setting it up is easy. Use the built-in schedule settings on your vehicle's dashboard or your home charger's scheduling menu to set it to start charging at midnight. Because rates are fixed for 12 months with no exit fees, you get budget certainty for a full year without unexpected rate changes.

What if my vehicle or charger is not smart-app compatible? 

Not every electric vehicle or home charger on the road today has software that integrates with smart-charging apps, and that is fine. 

Next Drive Fixed acts as the option for EV drivers whose hardware is not supported by automated smart app software. It ensures you do not get locked out of off-peak EV charging rates just because of the make or model of your car or charger. 

As long as you have a smart meter sending half hourly reads, you can tap into cheap overnight charging right away.

How does Next Drive Smart work and how much can I save?

How does automated smart charging work via the E.ON Next Home app? 

Next Drive Smart is built for EV drivers who want maximum savings with zero manual fuss. It delivers a super low off-peak rate across a 6-hour window, which is one of the lowest off-peak EV rates among the main UK energy suppliers for a similar tariff.

To manage your NDS tariff, download and register in the E.ON Next Home app, connect your compatible EV or charger, set your desired battery charge level and ready-by time, and make sure your schedule is set to active. From there, our smart tech takes over. When you plug in at home, we take control and manage your charging remotely, scheduling your vehicle to smart charge during the cheapest slots.

If an unexpected journey pops up and you need to top-up power immediately outside of your set schedule, simply use the Boost function in the app (which automatically overrides the schedule, so no need to ever switch off your schedule) and your EV will start charging straight away.

How do dynamic bonus windows and whole-home savings work? 

Next Drive Smart goes beyond standard fixed overnight windows by using smart dynamic charging. When grid demand is low or national renewable energy generation from wind or solar is high, our smart system automatically opens up bonus cheap periods (or windows) during the day. These extra scheduled bonus slots will show under your schedule in the E.ON Next Home app, when your car is plugged in.

When these bonus windows activate and your car is plugged in, the cheap off-peak rate does not just power your vehicle, it applies to your total household electricity usage. That means any electricity you use across your home during these dynamic slots, or during your main 6-hour overnight window, is billed at the super-low off-peak rate. 

It is an ideal way to run energy-heavy appliances like washing machines, dishwashers, or tumble dryers during these windows, lower than the usual cost.

How do I know if my EV or charger is compatible with Next Drive Smart? 

Because Next Drive Smart relies on direct communication between our software and your vehicle or charger, your hardware needs to be compatible. You can quickly check if your EV or charger qualifies, by entering your vehicle or charger details into the E.ON Next Drive Smart eligibility checker.

How much can you actually save by switching to an EV tariff?

Switching your EV charging from a standard variable tariff to a dedicated EV tariff can significantly cut your running costs.

• £440 annual savings: By switching from a standard variable tariff to Next Drive Smart, you could save up to £440 a year1. This calculation assumes driving 8,000 miles annually at 3.33 miles per kWh, charging at our off-peak rate compared to standard variable rates.

• Over £1-a-day advantage: By leaving your car plugged in whenever it is parked at home, our automated system can capture dynamic daytime bonus slots outside your standard window. On average, E.ON Next drivers save over £1 a day2 (around £1.30 daily on average) simply by letting us control and schedule your charging around grid demand via the E.ON Next Home app.

Am I eligible? How to check before you switch to an EV tariff.

Do I need a smart meter for both EV tariffs? 

Yes, a smart meter that sends half hourly readings is required for both Next Drive Fixed and Next Drive Smart. Because both options rely on split-rate billing between peak and off-peak times, half hourly reads are essential so we can accurately bill your off-peak usage at the cheaper rates. If you don’t have a smart meter yet, we can install one for you at no extra cost.

Can I charge a home battery or run a heat pump on an EV tariff? 

Yes. Because we apply off-peak rates to your whole-home rather than measuring your EV or charger through a separate meter point, your entire household benefits. 

If you have home battery storage or a heat pump, you can schedule them to charge or run during your off-peak window, powering your home heating and appliances overnight for less.

What if I am not eligible for smart charging? 

If you check the E.ON Next Drive Smart eligibility checker and discover your EV or charger is not supported for automated smart charging yet, you do not have to miss out on off-peak energy savings. 

You can switch directly to Next Drive Fixed instead, allowing you to set a standard overnight charge timer and start saving.

Decision guide: which EV tariff should you choose?

Pick Next Drive Smart if:

• Your EV or home charger is compatible with the E.ON Next Home app. for smart charging (check via the eligibility checker).

• You want access to one of the UK's lowest off-peak rates across 6 hours and extra daytime bonus slots.

• You are happy to use our app and let us automatically schedule your charging when you plug in.

• You are happy to change your routine and make the most of whole home savings, by scheduling or running energy-heavy appliances during off-peak windows.

• You want to capture extra dynamic bonus slots at the low off-peak rate, to automatically power home appliances or top up home batteries or run heat pumps alongside EV charging.

More on Next Drive Smart

Pick Next Drive Fixed if:

• Your EV or charger hardware is not compatible with our smart charging app.

• You prefer setting a fixed 12am to 6am charging schedule using your car or charger without using an app.

• You want fixed rate certainty for 12 months with zero exit fees.

• You prefer set-and-forget timer scheduling for your home battery storage and EV.

More on Next Drive

• 1. Tariff saving calculations assume an electric vehicle driving 8,000 miles a year at 3.33 miles per kilowatt, charging 8p per kWh during off-peak Next Drive Smart V7.7 tariff hours; compared to charging at 26.322p/kWh (national average and will vary by region) standard variable tariff rate from 1 October 2026, which is equivalent to £440 saved or a saving of up to 69.61%. T&Cs apply.
• 2. Savings based on E.ON Next 2026 telemetry data. Around £1 daily saving (£1.27) is achieved by automatically shifting an average of 2.268 half-hours (equates to an average of 5.6 kWh shifted) of charging from peak (£0.30822 /kWh) to bonus off-peak slots (£0.081 /kWh) outside of the customer's standard 6-hour window. To maximise these automated savings and achieve the quoted annual figures, vehicles must be plugged in whenever parked at home to allow the smart tech to utilise available bonus slots. Standard 6-hour off-peak allowance remains unaffected. Actual savings vary by vehicle type, driving habits, and tariff. Information correct as of 24 Sept 2026. T&Cs apply.