Best EV Electricity Plans Australia 2026: Off-Peak Charging Compared

The short answer

Most Australian EV owners can cut a home charging session to under $5 by switching to an EV-specific electricity plan. The lowest verified overnight rate as at June 2026 is OVO Energy at around 4.5c/kWh (midnight to 6am), available in VIC, NSW, QLD and SA. AGL and Origin offer around 8c/kWh for similar overnight or app-scheduled sessions.

Every plan requires a smart meter. In Western Australia, the best rate is Synergy's 8.6c/kWh Super Off Peak window (9am to 3pm), not overnight.

These rates are variable and subject to change with notice. The figures above are indicative as at June 2026. Check your plan directly before switching.

At a glance

Every EV-specific plan requires a smart meter. Without one, time-of-use billing is not possible.
OVO Energy offers the lowest verified overnight rate: around 4.5c/kWh (midnight to 6am) in VIC, NSW, QLD and SA. AGL and Origin offer around 8c/kWh. All rates are variable.
Western Australia is different: Synergy's cheapest window is 9am to 3pm at around 8.6c/kWh (full retail), not overnight.
Use Energy Made Easy (NSW/QLD/SA/ACT/TAS) or Victorian Energy Compare (VIC) to find and compare current offers before switching.

Overnight charging on a standard plan costs more than you think

The Victorian Default Offer gives a useful baseline. Flat-rate power in Victoria runs from around 27c to 35c per kilowatt-hour depending on your area, from 1 July 2025. A 50kWh top-up at roughly 30c/kWh costs around $15. That same charge on an EV plan costs around $2.25 at OVO's rate, or around $4 at AGL or Origin's rate. The gap is real. And it only exists if you switch.

The numbers make the case. But the right plan depends on your state, your charging window, and whether you have a smart meter. The next sections cover each one.

How time-of-use plans and off-peak windows work for EV charging

Australian households can be on a single (flat) rate, a time-of-use tariff, or a controlled load. For EV charging, the useful ones are time-of-use and controlled load. A time-of-use plan (ToU) splits the day into windows: peak, shoulder, and off-peak, each at a different rate per kWh. Off-peak periods usually run overnight. That is why most EV owners charge then.

EV-specific plans go further. They set a low fixed rate for a dedicated window, often midnight to 6am, funded by higher rates at peak times. OVO's 4.5c/kWh overnight rate is the clearest example. It is a retailer benefit for EV owners, not the plan's standard off-peak rate. The catch is that EV plans often have higher peak rates than a normal flat plan. Charge during the day or in the 3pm to 9pm peak window, and the bill climbs. Check both the off-peak and the peak rate before you switch.

Smart meter required. Every EV-specific plan in Australia needs a smart meter (also called an AMI meter). Without one, your retailer can't measure when you use power and can't apply the lower rate to your charging window. If you don't have a smart meter, your retailer can usually arrange one. Ask before you apply.

Comparison tools by state. Energy Made Easy (energymadeeasy.gov.au), run by the Australian Energy Regulator, covers NSW, QLD, SA, ACT, and TAS. You can compare real plan offers there for free. Victoria is the exception: VIC uses Victorian Energy Compare (compare.energy.vic.gov.au). Western Australia sits outside the National Electricity Market and is served mainly by Synergy. There is no competitive comparison tool for WA households.

EV electricity plans available in Australia (June 2026)

All rates are indicative as at June 2026. Variable rates can change with written notice. Verify current rates on the retailer's plan page or via Energy Made Easy before switching.

Plan	Retailer	EV rate	Charging window	States	Key condition
The EV Plan	OVO Energy	~4.5c/kWh	Midnight to 6am	VIC, NSW, QLD, SA	Smart meter + EV ownership
Night Saver EV	AGL	~8c/kWh	Midnight to 6am	Likely VIC, NSW, QLD, SA (states not confirmed on plan page)	Smart meter + EV
EV Power Up	Origin Energy	~8c/kWh (effective via bill credit)	App-scheduled (best grid times, day or night)	Origin residential customers (states not confirmed)	Compatible EV (Tesla confirmed) + Origin plan
EV Night	Powershop	Under $2.50 for ~50kWh (per-kWh rate not stated)	Midnight to 6am	VIC, NSW, QLD, SA	Smart meter + EV
EV Day	Powershop	Zero usage cost (supply charge still applies)	Noon to 2pm	VIC, NSW, QLD, SA	Smart meter + EV
Amber for EVs (wholesale)	Amber Electric	Wholesale spot price (variable; can go below 0c or spike to ~$19/kWh)	Smart-scheduled to cheapest window	VIC, SA, NSW, ACT, SE QLD	Smart charging setup; tolerance for price variability
EV Add-On (Super Off Peak)	Synergy (WA only)	~8.6c/kWh (full retail)	9am to 3pm	WA only	AMI meter + registered BEV or PHEV at address
Solar Sponge network tariff	SA Power Networks (DNSP)	4.74c/kWh (network component only, not full retail price)	10am to 4pm	SA only	Smart meter; ToU tariff; retail price is higher than the network component shown

SAPN Solar Sponge figures (4.74c/kWh and 2.84c/kWh on the Electrify tariff) are the SA Power Networks distribution network component only. The full retail electricity price a consumer pays includes wholesale energy costs, metering, AEMO fees, and retailer margin on top. Do not treat these as the total price. Verify the full retail price with your retailer. All other rates in this table are full retail rates from the named retailers. Rates are variable and indicative as at June 2026.

Is Amber Electric worth it for EV charging?

Amber Electric works differently from every other plan in the table. There is no fixed off-peak rate. Instead, it passes the wholesale electricity spot price straight to you, then uses a smart scheduling app to charge your car when that price is lowest.

When wholesale prices go negative (during high renewable output, which happens in SA and VIC) you can charge for free or even get paid. That is the upside. The downside: prices can spike to around $19/kWh at peak times. Amber's app tries to avoid those spikes by scheduling charging ahead, but you need to stay engaged and trust the automation.

Amber suits owners who track their usage, have a compatible smart charger, and want to use solar and renewable surplus. It is not a good fit if you want a simple, predictable bill. If you have rooftop solar and want to match your EV charging to your generation, you may also find solar-aligned charging strategies for EV owners worth reading alongside an Amber subscription.

Five steps to find the right plan for your home

The comparison table gives you the options. This framework helps you pick between them.

Step 1: Check which comparison tool covers your state. NSW, QLD, SA, ACT, and TAS: use energymadeeasy.gov.au (free, run by the AER). Victoria: use compare.energy.vic.gov.au (free, run by the ESC). Western Australia: Synergy is the primary retailer; there is no competitive market here.

Step 2: Check you have a smart meter. Every EV-specific plan needs one. Log into your retailer's app or call them to find out. If you don't have one, ask about getting one before you apply for an EV plan.

Step 3: Pick your main charging window. Most owners plug in between 10pm and midnight and want the car ready by morning. A midnight to 6am window works well for them. If you are home during the day with solar, a daytime window (Powershop EV Day, or Amber's solar-following scheduling) may cut your cost further. If you are in South Australia, a retailer that passes through the SAPN Solar Sponge tariff could be worth a look. Note that the 4.74c/kWh and 2.84c/kWh SAPN figures are the network component only, and the full retail price is higher.

Step 4: Match your charger to the window. A 7.4kW single-phase home charger running for six hours (midnight to 6am) delivers roughly 44kWh. That covers most overnight top-ups. If you have a portable EV charger drawing less current, your window may need to be longer.

Step 5: Check the peak rate before you sign. EV plans pay for the low overnight rate with higher peak pricing. In Victoria, the VDO peak rate runs from around 36c to 47c/kWh for 3pm to 9pm. Synergy's peak rate in WA is 53.8c/kWh for the same window. If your household uses a lot of power in the evening, that peak rate could cost you more than you save on charging.

Western Australia charges differently: morning, not midnight

If you are in WA, the advice for eastern-state EV owners does not apply. Synergy is the regulated retailer and works outside the National Electricity Market. Its EV Add-On plan is cheapest during the day, not overnight.

The Super Off Peak window runs from 9am to 3pm at around 8.6c/kWh (as at June 2026). That matches the peak solar period across WA. The overnight window (11pm to 6am) costs around 19.4c/kWh, more than twice as much. Charging overnight in WA on this plan is actually more expensive than charging during the day.

If you work from home or can set your car to charge during the day, the 9am to 3pm window gives you the same saving that midnight to 6am gives eastern-state owners. Confirm eligibility with Synergy before you sign up. You need a registered BEV or PHEV at your home address and an AMI meter.

For more on how novated lease costs interact with home charging, see how EV plan costs interact with novated-lease FBT.

What does this actually cost to charge?

Here is what the plan choices mean in dollar terms. Take a 50kWh top-up (roughly 80% of a typical EV battery). At around 30c/kWh on a standard flat plan (using Victoria's Default Offer as a guide), that costs around $15. On OVO's overnight rate of around 4.5c/kWh, the same charge costs around $2.25. On AGL or Origin's rate of around 8c/kWh, it is around $4.

These are illustrative figures. Your real cost depends on your plan, your car's battery size, charging losses, and how much of the overnight window your charger uses. The federal Green Vehicle Guide has a free Home Charging Calculator at greenvehicleguide.gov.au where you can enter your own tariff and car.

The saving is consistent: EV-specific plans offer much lower rates for scheduled overnight or daytime charging than a flat plan. Whether the switch pays off for you depends on your evening usage and what your current plan charges during the day.

Common questions

What is the cheapest electricity plan for an EV?

As at June 2026, OVO Energy's The EV Plan has the lowest verified overnight rate in Australia at around 4.5c/kWh (midnight to 6am), available in VIC, NSW, QLD and SA. AGL Night Saver EV and Origin EV Power Up both offer around 8c/kWh. All rates are variable. Use Energy Made Easy (NSW/QLD/SA/ACT/TAS) or Victorian Energy Compare (VIC) to find current offers in your area.

What is the best off-peak rate for charging an EV?

The lowest verified off-peak rate for home EV charging in Australia is OVO Energy at around 4.5c/kWh (midnight to 6am, as at June 2026). AGL and Origin offer around 8c/kWh for overnight or app-scheduled sessions. In WA, Synergy's Super Off Peak rate is around 8.6c/kWh (9am to 3pm). All rates are variable.

What is the best EV electricity plan?

The best plan depends on when you charge and where you live. For overnight charging in VIC, NSW, QLD or SA, OVO Energy offers the lowest rate at around 4.5c/kWh. AGL and Origin both offer around 8c/kWh if you prefer a larger network. For solar or wholesale-price charging, Amber Electric suits tech-forward owners who accept variable pricing. In WA, Synergy's EV Add-On is the only option, with the best rate during the day (9am to 3pm) at around 8.6c/kWh.

Can I charge my EV on a standard electricity plan?

Yes. A standard flat-rate plan works fine. Your EV charges normally on any power point or home charger. You just pay the flat rate for every kilowatt-hour you use. Switching to an EV or time-of-use plan is optional, but the saving can be large: a flat rate in Victoria runs around 27c to 35c/kWh, compared to around 4.5c to 8c/kWh on an EV plan overnight.

Do I need a smart meter for an EV electricity plan?

Yes. Every EV-specific plan in Australia needs a smart meter (also called an AMI meter). Without one, your retailer can't measure when you use power and can't give you the lower off-peak rate. If you don't have a smart meter, ask your retailer about getting one before you apply.

Does SA have a special solar-sponge EV charging rate?

South Australia has a Solar Sponge network tariff from SA Power Networks (SAPN), in place from 1 July 2025. The Solar Sponge rate is 4.74c/kWh (on the standard ToU tariff) or 2.84c/kWh (on the Electrify tariff) between 10am and 4pm. These are the network component only, not the full retail price. The retail price is higher because it includes wholesale energy costs, AEMO fees, and retailer margin. To use a Solar Sponge-aligned plan, you need a retailer that passes this structure through to you, such as Amber Electric in SA.

Is Amber Electric worth it for EV charging?

Amber Electric suits owners who want to use solar and renewable surplus and are fine with variable pricing. You can charge for free or below zero when renewable output is high, but prices can spike to around $19/kWh at peak times. Amber's app tries to schedule charging to avoid those spikes. If you want a simple, fixed bill, a fixed off-peak plan from OVO, AGL, or Origin is a better fit.

How much does it cost to charge an EV at home overnight?

It depends on your plan. On a standard flat plan (using Victoria's Default Offer as a guide at around 27c to 35c/kWh), a 50kWh top-up costs around $14 to $17. On OVO's EV rate of around 4.5c/kWh, the same charge costs around $2.25. On AGL or Origin's rate of around 8c/kWh, it is around $4. Use the Green Vehicle Guide Home Charging Calculator (greenvehicleguide.gov.au) to get the exact cost for your own tariff and car.

Ready to install a home EV charger?

Switching to a better electricity plan is step one. Step two is making sure your home has a charger that works with your plan's smart scheduling. Get estimates from vetted local installers, and a licensed electrician will confirm whether your home needs any switchboard work as part of the job.

Get EV charger quotes Compare EV charger installers in your suburb

Sources

General information only, not financial or energy advice. Electricity plan rates are variable and change with notice. Verify current rates via Energy Made Easy (energymadeeasy.gov.au), Victorian Energy Compare (compare.energy.vic.gov.au), or your retailer's plan page before switching.

pages.ovoenergy.com.auView source
agl.com.auView source
originenergy.com.auView source
synergy.net.auView source
energymadeeasy.gov.auView source
esc.vic.gov.auView source
powershop.com.auView source
amber.com.auView source
sapowernetworks.com.auView source

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