EV tariffs

E.ON Next Drive (9.5p) and Next Drive Smart (8p) vs Intelligent Octopus Go (7.6p): the unit-rate maths

Last checked: 15 October 2026 · SmartShift UK

E.ON Next has two EV tariffs: Next Drive, a fixed overnight window for any car, and Next Drive Smart, which smart-charges an eligible car or charger. Both are compared here with Intelligent Octopus Go. All rates were read from the suppliers’ own pages on 15 October 2026.

Checked 15 October 2026
	Intelligent Octopus Go	E.ON Next Drive Smart	E.ON Next Drive
Off-peak rate	7.6p	8p	9.5p
Window	23:30–05:30 + up to 6 h smart slots	00:00–06:00 + smart charging	00:00–06:00
Peak / day rate	34.95p–38.82p by region	33.122p (E.ON footnote, region not stated)	Not published on the tariff page
Standing charge	42.29p–66.74p a day by region	Quote only	Quote only
Car and charger	Compatible car or supported charger	Eligible EV and charger	Any
Meter	Smart meter, half-hourly reads	Smart meter, half-hourly consent	Smart meter, half-hourly data
Exit fee	£50 (fixed)	None	None

E.ON says the Next Drive Smart information is correct at 15 October 2026. Its 33.122p peak rate is the figure in its own footnote; E.ON doesn’t say which region it applies to, so check your quote. Octopus’s figures are its 12-month fixed version on sale that day, which Octopus lists as on sale until 20 October 2026.

Worked example: 8,000 miles in a Kia EV3

The Kia EV3 Long Range uses 279 Wh a mile on EV-Database’s figures: 3.58 mi/kWh, so 8,000 miles is 2,235 kWh. If all of it is charged in the cheap hours:

Intelligent Octopus Go at 7.6p: £170.
E.ON Next Drive Smart at 8p: £179 (£9 more).
E.ON Next Drive at 9.5p: £212 (£42 more).

Both windows are six hours, so a 7.4 kW wallbox adds up to 44.4 kWh a night on either. For the EV3 Long Range that is about 159 miles.

The day rate matters more than the car

All three are whole-home tariffs: the off-peak rate covers everything you use in the window, and the day rate covers everything else. A household’s non-car use is often a bigger number than the car’s, and most of it is in the day. With the peak rates published that day, a kWh used in the day costs 33.122p on Next Drive Smart and 34.95p–38.82p on Intelligent Octopus Go, depending on region. Next Drive’s day rate is only in a quote.

So the useful comparison is your own year: (your night kWh × each night rate) + (your day kWh × each day rate) + 365 × each standing charge. Your smart meter data gives the kWh, and a postcode quote from each supplier gives the rest.

Which fits which household

Car supported by Intelligent Octopus Go or Next Drive Smart: both smart tariffs are open to you. The night rates are 0.4p apart; the day rate and standing charge in your quotes will decide it.
Car or charger not supported by either: Next Drive (9.5p, 00:00–06:00) or Octopus Go (9.5p, 00:30–05:30) work with any EV. Next Drive’s window is an hour longer.
Want no exit fee: E.ON says neither Next Drive tariff has one; the Intelligent Octopus Go fixed version has a £50 fee.
Want charging outside the night window: both smart tariffs can schedule charging outside it at the low rate, if you let them control it.

Other suppliers’ EV tariffs are in UK EV tariffs compared, and Octopus’s two are compared in Intelligent Octopus Go vs Octopus Go. For the EV3’s per-charge costs see cost to charge a Kia EV3.

Questions people ask

Is E.ON Next Drive cheaper than Intelligent Octopus Go?

Not at night: Next Drive is 9.5p and Next Drive Smart is 8p, against 7.6p on Intelligent Octopus Go (checked 15 October 2026). For 8,000 miles in a Kia EV3 Long Range that is £212, £179 and £170. E.ON’s published Next Drive Smart peak rate of 33.122p is below Octopus’s regional day rates, so overall cost depends on how much you use in the day.

What are E.ON Next Drive’s off-peak hours?

Midnight to 6am every day, for the whole home, on both Next Drive and Next Drive Smart. E.ON says that is 42 off-peak hours a week.

Do I need a smart charger for E.ON Next Drive?

Not for Next Drive, which works on a fixed window. Next Drive Smart needs an eligible EV and charger. Both need a smart meter that sends half-hourly data.

Is this financial advice?

No. It compares published rates on one day. Get a quote for your postcode from each supplier before you switch.

Not financial advice. These are worked examples from published rates and EV-Database consumption estimates, for planning only. Your own tariff, day rate, standing charge, car, driving and weather will change the numbers. Check your bill and your supplier’s current terms before you switch or buy anything.

Sources

This page has no affiliate links. The calculator on the homepage is free and runs in your browser.