Guides › EV electricity plans compared: the cheapest way to charge at homeCharging · Updated November 2026

EV electricity plans compared: The cheapest way to charge at home

Quick answer

The cheapest overnight EV rate we could find is 4.5c per kWh on OVO Energy's EV Plan, from midnight to 6am.

EV electricity plans compared

The cheap rate each plan offers, and when you get it. Every plan here also needs a smart meter. Rates were checked on 14 November 2026 and change often.

EV electricity plans in Australia: cheap rate, when it applies, where, and the catch
Retailer and plan	Cheap rate per kWh	When	Where	The catch
OVO Energy The EV Plan	4.5c	Midnight–6am	NSW, Vic, SE Qld, SA	Needs a smart meter and an EV. Doesn't cover controlled load.
Powershop EV Night	About 5c	Midnight–6am	NSW, Vic, SE Qld, SA	Rate varies by network: Powershop's own example is 4.99c in Melbourne. Needs a time-of-use tariff.
GloBird EasyEV	6c	Midnight–6am and 11am–2pm	NSW, Vic, SE Qld, SA	Only the first 20–30 kWh a day, depending on the plan document for your area.
CovaU EVMax	6c (5.5c in Vic)	Midnight–6am and 11am–2pm	NSW, Vic, SE Qld, SA	Only the first 30 kWh a day across both windows.
AGL Night Saver EV	8c	Midnight–6am	NSW, Vic, SE Qld, SA	Needs a smart meter. No lock-in or exit fee. Doesn't cover controlled load.
Alinta Energy HomeEV	8c	Midnight–6am	NSW, Vic, SE Qld, SA	Needs a smart meter and your rego details. A reasonable use policy applies.
Origin EV Power Up	8c	Whenever Origin schedules it	NSW, Vic, Qld, SA, ACT	An add-on, not a plan: Origin's app controls charging and credits the difference on your next bill. Only some brands (Tesla and Mercedes-Benz on Origin's help page).
Engie EV Flex Charge	10c off your rate	Midnight–6am	NSW, SE Qld, SA	A credit, not a set rate, so what you pay depends on your normal rate. Comes with a $100 Chargefox voucher.
ActewAGL evEnergy Saver	12c	Midnight–6am, plus free noon–2pm on weekends	ACT	Needs a smart meter and an EV.
Synergy EV Add On	About 8–9c	9am–3pm (about 19–20c from 11pm–6am)	WA	The cheap time is the middle of the day. Peak (3pm–9pm) is about 53c. The car must be registered at your address.

EnergyAustralia's EV Night Boost (7c overnight, NSW only) is no longer open to new customers. We couldn't find a dedicated EV plan in Tasmania or the NT.

What an EV plan saves on charging

A typical EV using 16 kWh per 100 km and driving 250 km a week needs about 2,080 kWh a year. Here is what that costs if every kWh comes from home.

Yearly home charging cost on a standard rate against an EV plan
State	Standard flat rate	At 8c	At 4.5c
NSW	$705	$166	$93.60
Victoria	$591	$166	$93.60
Queensland	$582	$166	$93.60
South Australia	$872	$166	$93.60

That is a saving of roughly $420–$780 a year on charging. Drive twice as far and the saving doubles. Every car page shows that car's own charging costs, and our charging cost guide covers every state.

The catches to check first

The rest of your power can cost more

The cheap window is usually paid for by higher rates at busy times. One GloBird EasyEV plan document lists 59.4c per kWh from 4pm to 11pm, and Synergy's EV Add On charges about 53c from 3pm to 9pm. If your household uses a lot of power in the evening, a higher peak rate can wipe out what you save on the car. Compare the whole bill, not just the EV rate.

A power point can't use much of the window

Six cheap hours on a normal power point adds only about 12 kWh, or roughly 78 km. A 7 kW wall charger adds about 38 kWh, roughly 236 km. If you drive long distances, the window only works with a wall charger. See what a home charger costs to install.

Daily caps

GloBird and CovaU only give the cheap rate on the first 20–30 kWh a day. That covers most daily driving, but not a big catch-up charge after a long trip.

Controlled load and solar

The EV rate doesn't apply to controlled-load circuits such as some hot water systems. Feed-in tariffs on EV plans are often low (AGL lists 3c), so if you have solar, check whether charging from your own panels during the day beats the overnight rate. See charging with solar.

You have to prove you have an EV

Most retailers ask for the car's registration details, and some require it to be registered at the same address as the power account.

Which type of plan suits you?

Car is home overnight, no solar: an overnight plan (OVO, Powershop, AGL, Alinta). Set the car or charger to start at midnight.
Car is home in the middle of the day: a free midday plan. Several retailers offer three or four free hours a day, and you don't need an EV to join. See free midday power.
Sometimes day, sometimes night: GloBird EasyEV or CovaU EVMax, which give the cheap rate in both windows.
Rooftop solar and home most days: your own solar is usually cheapest of all, so a standard plan with a good feed-in tariff may suit better.
Don't drive much: under about 100 km a week, the saving is small and a normal low-rate plan may be cheaper overall.

The Australian Government's free comparison site, Energy Made Easy (energymadeeasy.gov.au), lists every plan at your address in NSW, Queensland, SA, Tasmania and the ACT. Victorians can use Victorian Energy Compare.

Sources

We have no commercial relationship with these retailers. Plans change often: tell us through the contact page if you spot one that's out of date.

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More: calculators, questions and more guides

Calculators for this

Running costsWhat will a car cost me to run?Free midday powerWhat are three free hours a day worth to me?Home chargingDo I need a wall charger?

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Common questions

What is the cheapest EV electricity plan in Australia?

For overnight charging, OVO Energy's EV Plan had the lowest rate we could find in November 2026: 4.5c per kWh from midnight to 6am in NSW, Victoria, South East Queensland and South Australia. Check the plan's other rates before switching.

Do I need a special electricity plan for an EV?

No. You can charge on any plan. An EV plan gives a much cheaper rate in a set window, usually midnight to 6am, which suits people who can charge at home overnight.

How much does an EV plan save?

For a typical EV driving 250 km a week, charging at 8c per kWh instead of the NSW default rate of about 34c saves about $540 a year, if all charging is done in the cheap window.

Do I need a smart meter for an EV plan?

Yes. The retailer needs a smart meter to see when you used the power. If you don't have one, your retailer can arrange it; AGL says it's usually free and takes about 15 business days.

Is it better to charge an EV overnight or from solar?

Your own solar is usually cheapest, because it only costs the small feed-in credit you give up. If the car isn't home during the day, an overnight EV plan is the next best option.

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How we work it out, and our sources

Weekly cost = the car's energy use × 250 km × your electricity or fuel price, with 90% of charging at home. Prices are list prices at November 2026; check with the dealer.

Electricity: 2026–27 default rates (AER, Victorian Default Offer, state retailers). Public charging: Sydney network prices, July 2026.
Petrol and diesel: capital-city daily averages from state government price feeds, via FuelRadar, 12 November 2026. Diesel for Hobart, Canberra and Darwin is estimated from the national fall.
Cars: maker figures via CarExpert, Drive, CarsGuide and EV Central. Plug-in electric range is taken as 80% of the claim.
Servicing: published capped prices; marked as an estimate where not yet published (CarExpert comparison).
Tyres: an EV set lasts about 35,000 km, a petrol or hybrid set 50,000 km (RACV); prices from Gridly.
Home charger: about $2,000 installed ($1,000–$3,000). Novated leases: PwC summary.

Printed from EV Pick Australia · evpick.com.au. Prices and costs are estimates; check with the dealer. © 2026 EV Pick (T. Crouch). For personal use only; not to be copied, republished or sold without permission.

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✓ You now know

The cheapest overnight EV rate is 4.5c per kWh, midnight to 6am
Most EV plans charge 5–8c overnight and need a smart meter
Check the peak rate too: it is often higher than on a standard plan

Next step

What will a car cost me to run?

Open the running costs calculator ›

Pick any EV, hybrid or plug-in, your state and how far you drive. Weekly and yearly cost against your current car, with a solar option.