What does it cost to charge an EV in United Kingdom?
Public fast-charging (DC) price per kWh · 2026 public rates
In United Kingdom, public EV charging typically costs around £0.50–£0.92 per kWh on ad-hoc (pay-as-you-go) rates.
The cheapest operator for fast (DC) charging is Exploren at about £0.50 per kWh.
The most expensive major operator is InstaVolt at £0.92 per kWh.
A typical 30 kWh top-up on the cheapest fast charger works out to roughly £15.00.
Blink — typically the lowest ad-hoc rate among the big DC operators.
Ionity — the widest 350 kW network, though off-peak and peak prices differ a lot.
The UK is the most expensive major market here — ad-hoc fast charging regularly tops 90 p/kWh.
Rates are public ad-hoc pay-as-you-go figures as of 2026 and change often — always confirm the price in each operator's app before you plug in.
Operator rates (per kWh)
| Operator | Fast /kWh | Connection | Minimum | Idle fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exploren | £0.50 | — | — | £0.20/min |
| Tesla | £0.56 | — | — | £0.40/min |
| Pod Point | £0.62 | — | — | — |
| IONITY | £0.74 | — | — | £0.30/min |
| Fastned | £0.79 | — | — | £0.20/min |
| Shell Recharge | £0.79 | — | — | £0.20/min |
| TotalEnergies | £0.79 | — | — | £0.20/min |
| Osprey | £0.87 | — | — | £0.20/min |
| bp pulse | £0.89 | — | — | £0.25/min |
| GRIDSERVE | £0.89 | — | — | £0.20/min |
| InstaVolt | £0.92 | — | — | £0.25/min |
Frequently asked questions
Rates are 2026 public figures that change often — confirm the live price in each operator’s app before you plug in.