Best Electricity Plan for EV Owners 2026

Your electricity plan is as important as the charger you buy. Get this right and you can charge for under 20 cents per kWh — or effectively free with rooftop solar. Get it wrong and you’ll pay peak-hour rates for every charge, turning a key financial advantage of EV ownership into a modest one.

The good news is that the options available to Australian EV owners in 2026 are better than ever. Overnight off-peak rates as low as 12 cents/kWh exist in some markets. EV-specific tariffs are available from major retailers. And for homes with solar, the economics of daytime charging are genuinely compelling. This guide breaks down every option so you can make an informed choice for your state and situation.

Understanding Your Options

Four main tariff structures are relevant to EV owners in Australia:

Flat rate (single rate). One price per kWh regardless of when you draw power. Simple, predictable, and disadvantageous for EV owners who can charge overnight. Typical flat rates in 2026: 28–38c/kWh depending on state. If you’re on a flat rate and charging overnight, you’re paying the same as you would at 6pm on a weekday.

Time-of-use (TOU). Different prices for different times of day: peak (typically 3–9pm weekdays), off-peak (late night to early morning), and sometimes a shoulder rate in between. For EV owners who can schedule overnight charging, TOU plans are almost always the best financial choice. The off-peak rate is the number that matters.

Controlled load (CL1/CL2). A separate circuit — traditionally used for electric hot water systems — that receives power at a low flat rate during off-peak windows determined by the network, not you. More on this below.

Solar export + self-consumption. If you have rooftop solar, your charging cost is determined by what you’d otherwise export. Feed-in tariffs are 3–10c/kWh in most states. Charging from solar surplus rather than exporting at 6c and re-importing at 30c saves the difference: up to 24c/kWh.

Time-of-Use (TOU) Plans

TOU plans offer the best value for most EV owners who charge at home overnight. The key is the off-peak window: typically 11pm–7am, though this varies by retailer and network.

The table below shows indicative off-peak rates by state in 2026. These are representative figures — check comparison sites for current offers from specific retailers in your area.

State	Off-peak window (indicative)	Off-peak rate (indicative)	Cost per 100km at 18kWh
VIC	11pm–7am	12–15c/kWh	$2.16–$2.70
NSW	10pm–7am	18–24c/kWh	$3.24–$4.32
QLD	9pm–7am	15–20c/kWh	$2.70–$3.60
SA	11pm–6am	22–28c/kWh	$3.96–$5.04
WA	varies	18–23c/kWh	$3.24–$4.14

Victoria stands out as the most favourable market for overnight EV charging, with the best TOU plans offering rates that make home charging genuinely cheap. South Australia is the most expensive, partly because of the state’s overall higher electricity costs and partly because of the greater volatility in the SA grid.

How to set up overnight charging. Most modern EVs have a built-in charging scheduler accessible through the car’s touchscreen or app. Set your charge start time to 11pm (or your plan’s off-peak start time) and a departure time of 7am. The car will manage the rest, finishing the charge before you leave. Some home chargers also have built-in timers that can do this at the hardware level.

If you’re looking at cost per km across all charging scenarios, see our electric car cost per km guide.

Controlled Load Tariffs

Controlled load (CL1 and CL2) circuits provide electricity at a flat low rate — typically 12–20c/kWh — during windows determined by the network distributor. CL2 rates can be lower than CL1, but the windows are shorter and less predictable.

Traditionally, these circuits power electric hot water systems. But technically, any fixed load can be connected to a controlled load circuit with the right electrical setup. This means an EV charger connected to a CL circuit would charge at the controlled load rate — potentially as low as 12c/kWh in some markets.

The limitation is practical: not all homes have spare capacity on CL circuits, and adding an EV charger typically requires a dedicated circuit and electrical work. Whether this is worthwhile depends on your existing setup and the rates in your distribution network area.

Before pursuing this option, discuss it with a licensed electrician who knows your local network. It’s not a simple plug-and-play solution, but for households that can make it work, it delivers some of the lowest effective charging rates available on the grid.

EV-Specific Tariffs

Several Australian retailers now offer tariffs specifically designed for EV owners. The key options in 2026:

Amber Electric. Amber passes through wholesale spot prices directly to customers. Overnight wholesale prices are often very low — sometimes negative when there’s abundant renewable generation. For EV owners who charge overnight via a scheduled charger or smart integration, Amber can deliver extremely low average rates over the year.

The risk: wholesale prices occasionally spike significantly. Amber is most appropriate for customers who are comfortable with variable bills and have chargers that can respond to price signals automatically. Not ideal if you need a predictable monthly bill.

Origin EV Plan. Origin offers a dedicated overnight rate for EV owners in some states, structured as a TOU tariff with a low overnight rate for charging. Check availability in your state, as the offer is not available everywhere.

AGL EV Tariff. AGL similarly offers EV-oriented TOU plans in several markets. The specifics vary by state and are updated regularly — use AGL’s online comparison tool or call to check current rates.

For all three options, compare the off-peak rate against what’s available from a standard TOU plan from the same or competing retailers. EV-branded plans aren’t always the cheapest — general TOU plans with low overnight rates can sometimes beat them.

Solar + EV: The Optimal Combination

If you have rooftop solar, the calculus changes. Feed-in tariffs (FITs) in Australia have declined significantly and now sit at 3–10c/kWh for most households across most states. That means every kilowatt-hour you export earns you roughly 6 cents. Every kilowatt-hour you import from the grid costs you roughly 30 cents.

The implication for EV charging is clear: charging from surplus solar during the day is worth approximately 24c/kWh more than exporting and re-importing. At 18kWh/100km, that’s a saving of $4.32 per 100km compared to grid charging at peak tariffs.

In practice, achieving full solar charging requires either being home during solar hours or having a smart charger that automatically diverts surplus generation to the car. Solar divert chargers such as the Myenergi Zappi, Fronius Wattpilot, and several others can handle this automatically — detecting when solar production exceeds home consumption and directing the surplus to the EV. Some EV brands (including BYD) are adding home energy management functionality that integrates with inverters directly.

For homeowners who both charge at home and have solar, the combination routinely delivers effective charging costs below 5c/kWh, and often below 3c/kWh on good solar days. That makes the fuel cost of EV ownership genuinely negligible for most of the year.

Read the full guide on solar EV charging in Australia for setup recommendations and hardware options.

State-by-State Best Options

Victoria is the best market for overnight EV charging in Australia. The combination of competitive retail market, smart meter rollout, and strong renewable generation means the best TOU plans offer 12–15c/kWh overnight. Use Victorian Energy Compare to search current offers. Look for plans with off-peak rates under 14c/kWh.

New South Wales has reasonably competitive TOU plans with off-peak rates typically in the 18–24c/kWh range. The Energy Made Easy website (energymadeeasy.gov.au) is the government comparison tool — use it to filter plans by tariff type and look for overnight off-peak rates.

Queensland is serviced by both Energex (south-east QLD) and Ergon (regional). South-east QLD has a competitive retail market; regional QLD uses Ergon’s standing offer. SE QLD customers should look for TOU plans with 15–20c/kWh overnight rates through Energy Made Easy. If you’re eligible for a smart meter, the Energex TOU network tariff is one of the better options available.

South Australia has the highest electricity costs in Australia, which limits the scope for low-cost overnight charging. Off-peak rates are typically 22–28c/kWh even on good TOU plans. SA also has high levels of rooftop solar penetration and renewable generation, which means Amber Electric’s spot-price model can work well during periods of high renewable output. If your charger can respond to price signals and you’re comfortable with Amber’s variable billing, it can deliver better outcomes than a flat TOU plan during renewables-heavy periods.

Western Australia is serviced by Synergy, which offers a flat tariff with an optional TOU add-on. The Synergy EV TOU rates are worth applying for if you charge overnight regularly. WA’s grid is separate from the NEM, and the rate structure reflects Synergy’s regulated environment.

How to Switch

The process is straightforward:

Use the relevant comparison tool for your state: Energy Made Easy (energymadeeasy.gov.au) covers NSW, QLD, SA, and WA. Victorian Energy Compare (victorianenergcompare.vic.gov.au) covers Victoria.
Filter for time-of-use tariffs and look for the lowest off-peak rate.
Check that the off-peak window aligns with when your car will be charging — typically 10pm–7am or similar.
Confirm your meter supports TOU billing. Most meters installed in the last five years do, but some older accumulation meters need replacing. Retailers should advise.
Switch online — most retailers allow same-day or next-billing-cycle switches with no fee.

Note that switching electricity plans is free and does not require any physical work unless your meter needs upgrading. If a smart meter is required, your retailer typically arranges this.

What to Avoid

Switching to TOU and charging at peak times. This is the main trap. If you’re on a TOU plan but regularly charge between 3pm and 9pm on weekdays, you’ll be paying peak rates — typically 40–55c/kWh — for most of your charging. That’s worse than a flat rate in many cases.

Make sure your car’s charging schedule is set correctly before you switch to a TOU plan. If you’re unsure whether you can reliably hit the off-peak window, a flat rate plan is simpler and more predictable.

Ignoring your solar divert settings. If you have solar and a smart charger, ensure the solar divert mode is actually enabled. The default settings on many chargers prioritise grid charging at a scheduled time rather than solar divert. Check the charger’s app or settings panel.

Assuming EV-branded plans are the best deal. Always compare EV-specific plans against standard TOU plans. The marketing suggests they’re optimised for EV owners — the rates don’t always support that.

Putting It Together

The right plan depends on your situation:

House, charges overnight, no solar: TOU plan with the lowest off-peak rate in your state. Aim for under 20c/kWh.
House with solar, charges during the day: Prioritise solar self-consumption. A smart solar divert charger makes this automatic. Your effective rate can be 3–10c/kWh.
House with solar, charges overnight: TOU plan still makes sense for overnight charging; solar handles daytime top-ups.
Apartment, public charging primarily: Flat rate or TOU plan for any home charging access. Focus on maximising public charging value — see our public vs home charging comparison.
Comfortable with variable billing: Amber Electric can deliver very low effective rates for customers who charge overnight via smart scheduling.

The financial case for EVs depends significantly on how cheaply you can fuel them. At 12–18c/kWh overnight, the running cost advantage over petrol is very large — on the order of $1,500–$2,500 per year at 15,000km. That number makes the case for switching energy plans as soon as you take delivery of an EV.

Common Questions

What type of electricity plan is best for EV owners?

Time-of-use (TOU) tariffs are typically best for EV owners who can charge overnight during off-peak hours. Off-peak rates range from 12–25 cents/kWh in most states — significantly cheaper than flat rates of 28–38 cents/kWh. If you can schedule your EV to charge between 11pm–7am, TOU plans usually save money. If you charge irregularly or during peak hours, a flat rate may be simpler.

What off-peak electricity rates are available for EV charging in Australia?

Off-peak rates vary by state and retailer. In Victoria, some TOU plans offer rates as low as 12–15 cents/kWh overnight. In NSW, off-peak rates typically range from 18–24 cents/kWh. In QLD, off-peak can be 15–20 cents/kWh. SA has higher off-peak rates (22–28 cents/kWh) due to the state’s overall higher electricity costs. Check your state’s energy comparison website (Energy Made Easy in NSW/QLD/SA/WA, Victorian Energy Compare in VIC) for current offers.

Are there dedicated EV electricity plans in Australia?

Some retailers offer EV-specific tariffs with very low overnight rates specifically marketed to EV owners. These include Amber Electric (pass-through wholesale pricing, great when wholesale prices are negative or very low), Origin’s EV plan, and AGL’s EV tariff. The value depends on your charging pattern and tolerance for variable rates.

Can solar panels reduce EV charging costs to near zero?

Yes. For homes with rooftop solar, charging during solar hours (roughly 9am–3pm on sunny days) costs effectively 2–5 cents/kWh equivalent, since you’re diverting surplus solar rather than exporting at low feed-in tariffs (3–10c/kWh). A solar divert charger like the Myenergi Zappi automatically handles this without manual intervention.

Best Electricity Plan for EV Owners in Australia 2026