Charging your EV at home is likely to push up your electricity bills, but an EV electricity plan could help you keep costs under control. Designed with electric vehicle owners in mind, these plans make it easier to manage your charging costs and get the most value from your energy usage if you’re able to adapt your charging schedule.
What is an EV electricity plan?
An EV electricity plan is designed specifically for electric vehicle owners, offering lower electricity rates at certain times – typically overnight or during the middle of the day – to help reduce the cost of charging your car.
While you don’t have to switch plans when you buy an EV, choosing one can help cut your electricity costs. It can also reduce pressure on the grid by encouraging charging during off-peak periods, when demand is lower and renewable energy, such as solar, is more readily available. Some plans may also include perks like public charging credits or vouchers.
How do EV electricity plans work?
Most EV electricity plans use time-of-use (ToU) pricing, where your electricity rate depends on when you use energy.
To access these rates, you’ll need an EV and a smart meter, although exact requirements can vary by retailer. Your smart meter records when electricity is used, applying lower rates during eligible off-peak periods. Many providers also offer apps to help you track your usage.
To make the most of the plan, you’ll need to charge your EV during these cheaper periods. This is most easily done through your vehicle settings, a smart charger or your energy provider’s app which allows you to automatically program when to charge.
Alternatively, you could simply plug-in when off-peak rates apply, but overnight they might not start until around midnight, which would mean needing to stay up late.
On most ToU plans, the lower rate applies to your entire household usage during those periods, not just your EV. This means you can run other appliances at the same time and still benefit from the cheaper rate.
However, some providers may require app integration, linking your EV or charger to their system to ensure discounted rates are only applied to energy used for vehicle charging.
Is an EV electricity plan the same as a VPP plan?
No, while an EV electricity plan helps you save on electric car charging costs, a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) plan is designed to manage and share energy by connecting your home energy system, such as solar panels, home batteries and EV chargers, to a wider network.
With a VPP, any excess solar energy your home generates can be stored in a battery and shared with the grid or other users when demand is high. These systems can also automatically adjust when certain devices run by delaying EV charging or reducing energy use during peak periods to help balance the grid.
Do all providers offer EV electricity plans?
No, not all energy providers offer electricity plans for EVs, and what’s available also depends on where you live in Australia.
As of March 2026, these are the providers with EV energy plans and what they offer:
| Provider | Plan | Available in | Plan details |
|---|---|---|---|
| ActewAGL | evEnergy Saver | ACT | Need: EV, smart meter
Rate: 12c/kWh from 12am to 6am every day |
| AGL | AGL Night Saver EV | NSW, VIC, SE QLD, SA | Need: EV, smart meter
Rate: 8c/kWh from 12am to 6am |
| Alinta Energy | HomeEV | NSW, VIC, SE QLD, SA | Need: EV, smart meter
Rate: 8c/kWh from 12am to 6am |
| Amber | Amber for EVs | NSW, VIC, SE QLD, SA | Need: eligible EV, smart meter, Amber app
Plan: $25/month subscription fee to access wholesale prices Eligible EVs: Tesla Model Y, Model 3, Model S (post-2021), Model X (post-2021) |
| ENGIE | ENGIE EV Flex Charge | NSW, VIC, SE QLD, SA | Need: EV or PHEV, smart meter
Plan: off-peak discount from 12am to 6am: 10c/kWh credited back to you |
| EnergyAustralia | EV Night Boost | NSW | Need: EV, smart meter
Rate: 7c/kWh from 12am to 6am every day |
| Energy Locals | EV Daytime Saver | VIC | Need: EV, smart meter
Rate: 8.5c/kWh from 10am to 3pm every day |
| Flow Power | Flow Home | NSW, VIC, SE QLD, SA | Need: smart meter, Flow Power app
Plan: not specifically an EV plan. Encourages customers to shift energy use to cheaper times. Rates adjusted monthly to reward customers who use cheaper times. |
| Momentum Energy | Evie Does It | NSW, VIC, SE QLD, SA | Need: EV, smart meter
Plan: lower off-peak rates (varies by location) |
| OVO Energy | The EV Plan | NSW, VIC, SE QLD, SA | Need: EV, smart meter
Rate: 6c/kWh between 12am and 6am App: only available for Tesla, Mini and BMW EVs |
| Origin Energy | Origin EV Power Up | NSW, VIC, QLD, SA, ACT | Need: eligible EV, smart meter, Origin app
Rates: rates as low as 8c/kWh Eligible EVs: Tesla Model S, Model 3, Model X, ModelY; Mercedes-Benz EQA, EQB, EQC, EQE, EQS |
| Powershop | EV Day / EV Night | NSW, VIC, SE QLD, SA | Need: EV, smart meter
EV Day: no usage cost for charging from 12pm to 2pm EV Night: super off-peak rate (varies by location) 12am to 6pm |
| Red Energy | Red EV Saver | NSW, VIC, SE QLD, SA, ACT | Need: EV, smart meter
Plan: free electricity 12pm to 2pm every Saturday and Sunday |
Are there EV electricity plans available in WA, TAS or the NT?
The electricity markets in Western Australia, Tasmania and the Northern Territory work slightly differently, which impacts the plans that are on offer to residents. Here’s what you might be available if you are an EV owner in one of these regions:
- WA: Synergy’s EV Add On offers lower rates from 9am to 3pm and from 11pm to 6am.
- TAS: while there are no electricity plans for EV owners, Tariff 93 offers residents access to cheaper off-peak rates, including overnight and during weekends.
- NT: there are no EV-specific electricity plans available for NT residents. However, people with smart meters may be able to take advantage of off-peak pricing between 9am and 3pm under new ToU tariffs.
How can I compare an EV plan vs a standard electricity plan?
EV electricity plans aren’t as widely available as standard energy plans and are still relatively niche. They can also be structured differently from regular plans, which makes direct comparisons tricky.
EV electricity plans are unable to be compared through the government's Energy Made Easy website or with other energy comparison sites, including Savvy’s.
You can use the table above to see what EV plans are available in your area, and consider your personal circumstances and energy usage to decide whether an EV-specific plan or a standard plan is the better choice.
An EV plan may work best for you if you:
- Drive your EV frequently, so you can make the most of lower off-peak rates
- Can charge during off-peak times, when electricity is cheaper
- Have solar panels, allowing you to optimise solar generation and reduce your electricity bills even further
However, while EV plans usually offer lower off-peak rates:
- Peak rates can be higher, which may offset savings if you use electricity during those times
- Your solar feed-in tariff (FiT) may be reduced on some plans
- There may be other plans on the market that offer lower rates or free electricity periods, even without needing an EV
It’s important to look at all rates when choosing a plan to ensure it offers you the best deal overall for your needs.
For example, Momentum Energy’s EV plan offers Sydney residents off-peak rates around 2 c/kWh cheaper than its basic plan, but peak rates that are over 7 c/kWh higher.
You also need to keep in mind that the plan isn’t just for your EV so you’ll need to plan for your household’s general electricity use. If you don’t drive your EV much, can’t adjust your charging schedule to off-peak periods or have high energy usage during other parts of the day, a standard electricity plan might end up being the cheaper option.
Does an EV electricity plan give you free charging?
In some cases, yes, certain EV electricity plans let you charge your vehicle for free during set times. However, these offers aren’t exclusive to EVs. Other energy plans on the market may also include free energy periods.
On top of this, if you have solar panels at home, you can use the electricity they generate during the day to charge your EV and power other appliances, reducing reliance on the grid. Adding a home battery gives you the flexibility to store solar energy for use later in the day when electricity rates are higher.
From July 2026, residents of NSW, SE QLD and SA may also benefit from the government’s Solar Sharer program, which provides at least three hours of free electricity each day during peak solar generation – even for households without solar panels. This helps households that can shift their energy use to save on bills, including for EV charging.
