Next Drive Smart: Save on home and EV charging.

Switching to an electric vehicle (EV) is a win for the environment, and let’s be honest, it feels pretty great to bypass the petrol station forecourt. But once you plug in at home, reality hits. EV batteries are big, and if you're filling them up at standard electricity rates, your energy bills can start to look a little daunting.

If you're looking to save, it all comes down to the tariff you choose. That's where our Next Drive Smart tariff comes into play, offering a smarter, cheaper way to keep your car on the road and your home running efficiently.

Can I charge my EV on a standard variable tariff?

The short answer is yes, you can absolutely charge your electric vehicle on a standard variable tariff (SVT). Your home EV charger or three-pin plug will draw power just fine, but your bank account might not thank you for it.

Typically, SVTs are more expensive than dedicated EV tariffs. The reason is simple: standard tariffs don't offer any specific perks or lower rates during off-peak hours for customers with a standard single-rate meter. You pay the same flat rate whether you plug your car in during the peak evening rush or in the middle of the night.

Now, if you only charge your car occasionally, drive short distances, or rely entirely on public charging points, you might not feel the immediate need for a dedicated EV tariff. But if you're plugging in at home multiple times a week, staying on a standard tariff means you're actively missing out on savings. When switching to a tailored EV tariff, it is so straightforward, it makes sense to take advantage of everything it has to offer.

Introducing Next Drive Smart: Why it pays to switch.

If you want to stop paying standard rates to top up your battery, it's time to upgrade. Our Next Drive Smart tariff is designed specifically to show you all your EV charging details, from battery charge status to weekly usage, while slashing your energy costs.

By pairing your tariff with the E.ON Next Home app, you use an automated system that works behind the scenes. Instead of you having to manually calculate when electricity is cheapest, our smart technology manages (and charges) automatically for you.

Before you make the leap, it's important to know that only certain EV makes, models, and smart chargers are eligible to connect with our smart charging system. This connectivity is what allows us to talk with your car.

Want to see if your car or charger is ready? It takes less than two minutes to find out. Use our eligibility checker to see if you can get this tariff today.

The key benefits of Next Drive Smart tariff.

Next Drive Smart isn't just another energy tariff, it's a complete rethink of how you power your home and vehicle. Here's a breakdown of the major perks you get when you make the switch.

1. One of the UK’s lowest off-peak EV charging rates.

We're proud to offer a super-low off-peak rate, which stands as one of the UK’s lowest off-peak rates for EV charging when compared to like-for-like EV tariffs from major competitors. While we may not always be the absolute cheapest in every single corner of the country, we consistently deliver great value that sits well below standard electricity prices.

Think about it this way: instead of filling up your car at peak daytime prices, you can shift the bulk of your charging to our dedicated 6-hour off-peak overnight window. Over a year, swapping from a standard tariff to this off-peak rate could shave hundreds of pounds off your driving costs, making your EV incredibly cheap to run. In fact, running your car on these off-peak rates makes driving an EV a fraction of the cost per mile compared to traditional petrol running costs.

2. Effortless, automated smart charging.

You don't need to set midnight alarms to plug your car in or flip switches in the fuse box. With Next Drive Smart, once you’ve set your ‘ready by’ time and battery preferences in the E.ON Next Home app, you just plug your vehicle in whenever you get home, and walk away.

Once your schedule is set to active, we take control of the smart charging remotely. Our system communicates with the grid to automatically schedule charging during the cheapest, most efficient times—mostly overnight, but also whenever those extra cheap slots pop up during the day. This ensures your car is fully topped up and ready to go whenever you need it.

3. Dynamic daytime charging and whole-home savings.

A lot of people think that EV tariffs only offer a discount for the car, and only during the middle of the night. Next Drive Smart changes that entirely.

Whole-home savings: The low off-peak rate applies to your entire household's electricity usage during the 6-hour nightly window. That means you can run energy-heavy appliances like dishwashers, washing machines, and tumble dryers at a fraction of the standard cost.

Dynamic daytime smart charging: Our smart technology can automatically schedule your car to charge during cheaper periods in the day too. When grid demand is low or renewable energy capacity, like wind and solar, is high, we offer cheaper household electricity rates in the day, passing those savings directly to you.

4. Emergency boost function.

Life is unpredictable. Maybe you have a sudden emergency, or an unexpected long-distance trip pops up, and you can't wait for the overnight smart charging window to kick in.

Don't worry, we have you covered. The app includes a boost function for emergencies, allowing you to bypass the automated schedule and immediately start drawing power to charge your car right away. We don’t recommend running your battery down to very low, like a petrol/diesel car, and you won't need this function very often if you let us smart charge your car on a regular basis, but it provides total peace of mind that you'll never be left stranded.

Ready to start saving? Check your eligibility today.

If you're ready to stop overpaying for your EV charging and want to get cheaper whole-home electricity whilst your car is smart charging, switching to Next Drive Smart is the logical next step.

Take control of your energy budgeting, enjoy automated smart charging updates via our app, and make the most of one of the UK’s lowest off-peak energy rates.