One of the biggest advantages of owning an electric vehicle (EV) is the potential to save money on running costs.
But simply plugging your car into the wall doesn’t guarantee the lowest possible bill. Electricity prices, charging habits and driving style all play a huge role in what you actually pay each month.
In this guide, we’ll walk through seven practical, realistic tips that can significantly reduce your EV home charging costs—without making your life complicated or ruining the convenience of driving electric.
1. Know your baseline: how much does charging cost right now?
Before you can optimize anything, you need to know your starting point.
1.1 Find your electricity price
Grab your latest electricity bill and identify:
- The energy price – usually shown as something like
0.15 USD / kWh - Any fixed monthly fees – these don’t change with your charging, but they affect the total bill
If your bill has time-of-use tariffs (different prices by day or hour), note down:
- Peak price
- Off-peak / night price
- The times when each price applies
1.2 Check your EV’s energy consumption
Your car’s dashboard or app usually shows:
- Consumption over recent trips (e.g.
17.5 kWh / 100 km) - Lifetime average since you bought the car
Use a longer-term average if possible. Short trips or harsh weather can temporarily inflate the numbers.
1.3 Calculate your current charging cost
Once you know your electricity price and consumption, you can use a simple calculator to estimate:
- Cost per 100 km (or per 100 miles)
- Estimated cost per month based on your real mileage
This “baseline” is essential. It tells you whether your EV is already cheap to run, or whether there is big potential for savings. It also lets you measure progress after you change your charging habits.
2. Take advantage of cheaper tariffs
For many EV owners, choosing the right electricity tariff is the single most powerful way to reduce charging costs.
2.1 Time-of-use (TOU) or night tariffs
In many regions, electricity is cheaper:
- Late at night
- Weekends or off-peak hours
These are called time-of-use tariffs or night tariffs. They exist because it’s easier and cheaper for the grid to supply energy when overall demand is low.
If you can switch to such a tariff and charge your car mainly during off-peak hours, you may:
- Cut your charging cost per kWh by 30–60% compared to peak prices
- Shift a large part of your household consumption to cheaper times if you run appliances at night too
2.2 Compare tariffs with your EV in mind
When comparing electricity plans, don’t just look at the headline price. Consider:
- Off-peak vs peak price difference
- Fixed monthly fees
- Whether the cheaper hours match your lifestyle (e.g. 11 pm–7 am)
A plan with slightly higher fixed fees but very cheap night rates may still save you a lot of money if you drive many kilometres and charge mostly at home.
3. Schedule charging during off-peak hours
Knowing that night electricity is cheaper is one thing. Actually using it consistently is another. The good news is that modern EVs and chargers make it easy.
3.1 Use your car’s built-in charging schedule
Most EVs allow you to:
- Set start and end times for charging
- Tell the car when you need it ready (e.g. 7:30 am), and it calculates when to begin
Set your schedule so that most charging happens during:
- Night / off-peak hours
- Hours when your home’s overall usage is low (fewer appliances running at the same time)
3.2 Smart wallbox or smart plug
If your car doesn’t have good scheduling features, a smart wallbox or smart plug can:
- Start and stop charging based on time
- Limit charging power (to avoid stressing your home wiring)
- Integrate with energy price APIs in some regions
3.3 Avoid charging to 100% every night
For daily commuting, you rarely need a full battery. Instead you can:
- Set a target charge limit (e.g. 70–80%) for everyday use
- Only charge to 90–100% before long trips
This not only extends battery life, it also reduces unnecessary charging, which saves a little money over time.
4. Optimize charging speed and power
“Faster” is not always “better” when it comes to home charging.
4.1 Why lower power can be more efficient
Charging at extremely high power at home:
- Can increase losses in cables and electronics
- May push your household into a higher demand charge category in some regions
- Increases heat, which may slightly reduce efficiency
Charging at a more moderate power level (for example 7–11 kW instead of 22 kW, or 3–4 kW on a single-phase supply) is usually:
- More than enough to refill daily driving overnight
- Gentler on both your battery and your home’s electrical system
4.2 Adjust power to fit your needs
If your charger allows it, you can:
- Reduce the maximum current (e.g. from 32 A to 16–20 A)
- Schedule higher power only when you really need a fast top-up before a trip
As long as the car is ready by the time you need it, slower charging overnight is usually the most economical and battery-friendly option.
5. Use preconditioning while plugged in
Heating or cooling the cabin consumes energy. You have to use it anyway—but when you use it matters.
5.1 What is preconditioning?
Preconditioning means:
- Warming up the cabin and battery in winter
- Cooling down the cabin in hot weather
before you start driving, typically while the car is still plugged in.
5.2 Why it saves money
When you precondition while plugged into home power:
- Most of the energy comes from the grid, not from the battery
- Your trip starts with a comfortable cabin and a warmer battery, which improves efficiency
- The car uses less energy during the first part of your drive, when it would otherwise work harder to heat or cool everything
Over many trips, this can shave a noticeable amount off your total energy usage—especially in cold climates.
5.3 How to use it in practice
- Set a departure time in your car or app
- Enable preconditioning or scheduled climate control for that time
- Use it regularly in the most extreme seasons (winter and summer)
6. Drive more efficiently without being slow
Your driving style affects energy consumption just as much as it does in a gasoline car. The difference is that EVs make it easy to see the impact, thanks to real-time energy displays.
6.1 Smooth acceleration and regenerative braking
Quick acceleration is fun, but also increases consumption. To save energy:
- Accelerate smoothly, especially in city driving
- Use regenerative braking instead of heavy mechanical braking
- Anticipate traffic so you can lift off the accelerator early instead of braking late
This driving style:
- Makes better use of energy already in the battery
- Reduces wear on brake pads and tyres
- Often has little or no impact on actual journey time
6.2 Reasonable highway speeds
Air resistance grows quickly with speed. For many EVs:
- Driving at 110 km/h instead of 130 km/h can reduce consumption by 15–25%
- Over a year, this can translate into hundreds of kWh saved
If your lifestyle allows it, consider slightly lower cruising speeds on longer journeys. You’ll:
- Stop less frequently to charge
- Pay less per kilometre
- Often arrive at a similar time once you include charging stops
6.3 Check tyre pressure and alignment
Under-inflated tyres and misaligned wheels increase rolling resistance. To avoid wasting energy:
- Check tyre pressure at least once a month
- Follow the manufacturer’s recommended values (or the EV-specific recommendation if available)
- Have the alignment checked if you notice uneven tyre wear or the car pulling to one side
These small maintenance habits improve efficiency and safety at the same time.
7. Combine home charging with “bonus” energy sources
Finally, think about ways to lower the effective price per kWh by mixing home charging with other sources.
7.1 Solar panels and daytime charging
If you have roof-top solar, charging your EV becomes one of the best ways to:
- Use more of your own solar production
- Reduce the amount of energy exported to the grid at low prices
By timing some charging to solar-rich hours, you can:
- Effectively pay close to 0 per kWh for a portion of your charging
- Reduce the payback period of your solar installation
Smart chargers and some EV apps can:
- Follow your solar production in real time
- Automatically adjust charging power so you use mostly excess solar rather than grid electricity
7.2 Workplace and destination charging
Some workplaces, shops or public parking facilities offer:
- Free charging as an employee benefit
- Low-cost or flat-rate charging while you park
If you regularly use these options:
- Track how much energy you add there
- Reduce your home charging schedule accordingly
Even if the price is not zero, it might be cheaper than your home tariff—especially if your home electricity is expensive or has high demand charges.
7.3 Occasional smart use of public fast charging
Public fast charging is usually more expensive per kWh than home charging, but there are exceptions:
- Promotional prices or loyalty programmes
- Off-peak discounts at certain networks
- Free fast charging included with some cars for a limited time
If you have access to such deals, it may be worth:
- Doing occasional bigger fast charges during low-price periods
- Reducing the amount of home charging you need that week
Just remember that regular high-power DC fast charging can be harder on the battery than slow AC home charging, so balance cost savings with long-term battery health.
8. Putting it all together: a simple optimization plan
If you want a clear action plan rather than a long checklist, here’s a straightforward way to approach it:
- Calculate your baseline
- Find your electricity price and EV consumption
- Estimate your current cost per month or per year
- Switch to a better tariff if possible
- Look for night / off-peak tariffs
- Make sure the cheap hours fit your routine
- Set up automatic off-peak charging
- Use your car’s schedule or a smart wallbox
- Avoid charging to 100% unless necessary
- Tune charging power
- Use moderate overnight charging rather than maximum power all the time
- Use preconditioning and efficient driving habits
- Preheat / precool while plugged in
- Drive smoothly and check tyre pressures regularly
- Take advantage of “bonus energy”
- Align charging with solar or low-cost destination charging where available
After a month or two, recalculate your energy cost. Many owners are surprised to see:
- 10–30% lower consumption
- Significantly reduced cost per kilometre
- A better understanding of how their EV and electricity tariff work together
9. Key takeaways
- You don’t need complicated tricks to cut EV home charging costs—just a clear understanding of your tariff, schedule and habits.
- Charging mostly at night or during off-peak hours is often the single biggest money-saver.
- Smooth driving, preconditioning and correct tyre pressures improve efficiency without making your trips slower.
- If you have access to solar power, workplace charging or special tariffs, integrating them into your routine can bring your effective cost per kWh very close to zero for part of your mileage.
By following these seven tips, you can enjoy the full comfort and convenience of an electric vehicle while keeping your home charging bill as low as possible—and making every kilometre driven feel that little bit cheaper.