EV Optimise vs EV Saver
EV Optimise vs EV Saver
Which ScottishPower EV Tariff Is Smarter?
Charging an electric vehicle at home can cost a fraction of public charging, provided you choose the right tariff and charge at the right time. ScottishPower offers two EV-focused options, and they work in different ways. This guide to EV Optimise vs EV Saver explains how each one works, who each suits best and how to get even more from either with a smart charger, solar panels and a battery, as things stand in October 2026.
Rates are correct at the time of writing. Tariff prices change often, so check ScottishPower or your supplier for current prices before you switch.
EV Optimise vs EV Saver: The Two Tariffs at a Glance
Both tariffs reward you for charging when electricity is cheapest, which is usually overnight when demand is low. Both also need the right kit at home, so it helps to understand the basics before you compare the headline rates.
EV Saver
EV Saver charges 8.5p per kWh between midnight and 5am. In British Summer Time, most meters shift this window to 1am to 6am, although some older SMETS1 meters keep midnight to 5am all year round. To use it you need a smart meter, a monthly Direct Debit and a home EV charger. It is a fixed overnight window, which makes it easy to understand and easy to plan around.
EV Optimise
EV Optimise charges 8p per kWh and is a more flexible smart-charging product, with daytime and night-time flexibility. It is available as an add-on to most standard tariffs, and your charger or vehicle is scheduled to charge when electricity is cheapest. Instead of you choosing a window, the system looks for the best slots on your behalf.
EV Optimise vs EV Saver: Which Is Better for You?
The 0.5p difference per kWh looks small, so the real question is how you live. The cheapest tariff on paper is not always the best one in practice if it does not fit your routine.
- Fixed overnight routine: if you plug in every evening and always charge overnight, EV Saver is simple and predictable.
- Variable routine: if you work from home, do shift work or want the system to find the cheapest slots for you, the flexibility of EV Optimise is attractive.
It is also worth thinking about the rest of your household electricity. Because EV Optimise is an add-on to a standard tariff, the daytime rate you pay for everything else in the home still matters, so look at the whole picture rather than just the EV rate.
A quick EV Optimise vs EV Saver cost example
A typical electric car might add around 3 miles per kWh of battery use, so 1,000 miles is roughly 330 kWh. At 8p that is about £26, and at 8.5p about £28. Compare that with standard daytime electricity or public rapid charging, and the saving is considerable. These figures are illustrative, because efficiency varies by vehicle.
EV Optimise vs EV Saver If You Have Solar Panels
If you already generate your own electricity, the comparison changes a little. Solar output peaks in the middle of the day, while the cheapest grid electricity is usually available overnight, so the two can complement each other. On sunny days your panels may cover much of your charging for free, and on dull or busy days a cheap overnight tariff fills the gap. A battery sits between the two, storing cheap or surplus electricity until you need it. The result is that the tariff you pick matters most on the days when your panels are not producing, which in Scotland is a good share of the winter.
That is one more reason to look at the whole system rather than the tariff on its own. A charger that can respond to both your solar output and the cheap overnight window gives you the best of each, whichever tariff you choose.
Get More From Either Tariff With a Smart Charger
A smart home charger gives you control. You can schedule charging to the cheap window, limit the current to protect your supply and track what each charge costs. Many smart chargers also support solar-aware modes, which matter a great deal if you generate your own electricity. Our EV charger installation page explains what is involved in fitting one at home.
Add solar and a battery
Here is where the smarter strategy comes together. Solar panels can charge your car for free on sunny days, and a battery can store daytime generation or cheap overnight electricity for the evening. Solar installations in Great Britain currently benefit from 0% VAT until 31 March 2027, and batteries qualify when they are fitted with solar. We cover the solar side in detail in our post on how to charge your EV with solar panels, and you can see how a battery fits in on our battery storage for solar page.
Do not forget the rest of the home
Cheap overnight rates also suit a heat pump’s hot water cycle and a battery’s charging schedule. A joined-up system lets your charger, battery and heating each use electricity at the best time, rather than competing for the same expensive peak. If you want to understand how other time-of-use options compare, our guide to smart tariffs explained is a good next read.
Any Questions? We Will Call You Back
What to Check Before You Switch
Whichever side of EV Optimise vs EV Saver you lean towards, run through these questions before you commit:
- Do you have a smart meter that works with the tariff?
- Is your charger smart-enabled and compatible?
- Do you meet the account requirements, such as paying by Direct Debit?
- How does the tariff’s daytime rate affect the rest of your household use?
If any answer is “not sure”, it is better to find out first than to discover a mismatch after you have switched.
Grants and Support for Chargers
Funding for home chargers can change and often depends on your housing situation, so confirm the current Scottish and UK options before you buy. We have not verified current EV charger grant levels for this post. Our government grants page is a useful starting point for what is available across Boxergy’s services.
Our Advice on EV Optimise vs EV Saver
Whichever tariff you choose, the smartest move is to combine it with the right hardware. EV Saver suits a fixed overnight routine, and EV Optimise suits a changing one, but both work best with a smart charger and, ideally, your own solar and battery. Boxergy designs EV charging, solar, batteries and heat pumps as one system, so each part works with the others. When you weigh up EV Optimise vs EV Saver, think about your routine first and the extra half a penny second.
Cheaper, Greener, Smarter: cheaper miles, cleaner driving and an energy system that manages itself.
Charge smarter: book a free EV charger and solar consultation with Boxergy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the EV Saver rate in the EV Optimise vs EV Saver comparison?
8.5p per kWh from midnight to 5am, or 1am to 6am in British Summer Time on most meters.
What is the EV Optimise rate?
8p per kWh, available as an add-on to most standard tariffs.
Do I need a smart meter for EV Optimise vs EV Saver?
Yes, ScottishPower’s EV tariffs require one.
Which is better with solar panels, EV Optimise vs EV Saver?
Neither tariff depends on solar. Many smart chargers support solar-aware charging, and a battery can store surplus generation, so you can use either one alongside your own panels. Your charging routine is the better guide to which tariff suits you.
Is a home charger cheaper than public charging?
Usually, especially on an off-peak EV tariff, though your exact saving depends on your tariff and vehicle.
Is EV Optimise vs EV Saver mainly a question of price?
The gap is only 0.5p per kWh, so your routine matters more. EV Saver suits a fixed overnight pattern, and EV Optimise suits a varied one.
Do I need a home EV charger for EV Optimise vs EV Saver?
Yes. ScottishPower’s EV Saver needs a smart meter, a monthly Direct Debit and a home EV charger.
Does EV Saver always run midnight to 5am?
Not always. In British Summer Time most meters shift the window to 1am to 6am, although some older SMETS1 meters keep midnight to 5am all year.
How much does it cost to add 1,000 miles at home?
As an illustration, a car using around 3 miles per kWh needs roughly 330 kWh. That is about £26 at 8p and about £28 at 8.5p. Efficiency varies by vehicle.
Can a battery help with cheap overnight electricity?
Yes. A battery can store cheap overnight electricity or daytime solar generation and release it in the evening.
Are 0% VAT rates still available on solar and batteries?
Solar installations in Great Britain benefit from 0% VAT until 31 March 2027, and batteries qualify when installed alongside solar.
Are there grants for EV chargers?
Funding can change and often depends on your housing situation. Check the current Scottish and UK options before you buy, as we have not verified current grant levels.