EV Time-of-Use Plans: Helpful If You Can Shift Charging
EV time-of-use (TOU) plans offer a specifically low overnight charging rate in exchange for higher peak rates in the evening. They are purpose-designed for the "charge overnight while sleeping" pattern. If your actual charging behaviour matches that pattern — car home, plugged in, charging at midnight — the saving is real. If your charging happens in the evening peak for any reason, the plan structure works against you.
- EV TOU plans are different from standard TOU plans — they may have an additional overnight "EV" rate specifically for charging hours (midnight–6am or similar).
- The plan saves money only if the car charges inside the EV rate window, not in the evening peak.
- EV scheduling is the tool: most EVs allow a charging start time to be set via the car's app — set it to start at the off-peak window start time.
- Compare the whole plan, not just the EV rate — the peak rate on an EV plan may be higher than on a standard flat-rate plan, which affects all other household usage.
How EV TOU plans are structured
Standard time-of-use plans have two or three tariff windows: peak (typically 5–9pm or 3–9pm), shoulder (mid-day and weekends) and off-peak (overnight). The EV rate on some plans is a fourth window — a rate even lower than standard off-peak specifically for EV charging hours.
Example structure:
| Period | Time | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Peak | Example evening window | Illustrative higher rate — check current retailer offer |
| Shoulder | Example shoulder window | Illustrative middle rate — check current retailer offer |
| Off-peak | Example overnight window | Illustrative lower rate — check current retailer offer |
| EV rate (if separate) | Example EV charging window | Illustrative EV rate — check current retailer offer |
The EV rate window is often narrower than general off-peak. The exact hours and rate depend on the retailer, network and offer date. The EV rate only applies to kWh consumed in that window.
Setting up the car to use the rate
All major EVs (Tesla, BYD, Hyundai, Kia, Peugeot, Nissan, etc.) have a scheduled charging feature — set a time for charging to begin, and the car waits until that time before drawing power.
Step 1: in the car's app or touchscreen, find "scheduled charging" or "departure time" settings.
Step 2: set the charging start time to align with the start of the EV rate window (e.g., 12am).
Step 3: set a departure time or charge limit so the car is at the target level by morning.
Once configured, the car charges automatically at the cheap rate without any daily action.
Important: if the car is not plugged in by midnight, it cannot charge during the cheap window. Inconsistent plugging-in behaviour eliminates the plan's benefit for those nights.
The household impact of the higher peak rate
Switching to an EV TOU plan changes the rate for all household electricity — not just the EV. The peak rate can be higher than a flat-rate plan and applies to all evening usage: cooking, TV, air conditioning.
The comparison that matters:
- Additional cost from higher peak rate on general household usage
- Saving from lower EV charging rate overnight
- Net: the plan wins only if the EV saving exceeds the general usage penalty
For higher-mileage EV households charging reliably overnight, the EV saving may outweigh the peak-rate premium on general usage. For low-mileage households or those who regularly miss overnight charging, a flat-rate plan may be cheaper overall.
An EV TOU plan works if the car charges reliably overnight in the cheap window and the EV charging saving outweighs the higher peak rate on general household usage. Run the full comparison on Energy Made Easy using your actual daily kWh and your estimated EV weekly kWh to get the real annual cost for both plan types before switching.
Analyse your bill to understand your current tariff structure and EV usage before comparing TOU plan options.