E.ON EV tariff 2026: Next Drive and Next Drive Smart explained.

E.ON Next Drive is an electricity tariff for EV drivers. It gives you a lower unit rate during an overnight off-peak window, typically around midnight to 5am, so you pay significantly less to charge your car than you would on the standard rate.

The saving is substantial. At the standard UK rate of around 24.5p/kWh, filling a 60kWh battery from flat costs roughly £14.70. On E.ON Next Drive at 9p/kWh, the same charge costs £5.40. That is a saving of £9.30 for a single full charge.

For a driver covering 15,000 miles per year in a car averaging 3.5 miles per kWh, that works out to roughly 4,286 kWh of home charging annually. At 24.5p: £1,050. On Next Drive at 9p: £386. Annual saving: around £664.

Alongside the standard Next Drive tariff, E.ON offers Next Drive Smart, which integrates with compatible smart chargers to optimise your charging schedule automatically within the off-peak window.

Rather than setting a timer on your charger, Next Drive Smart communicates directly with the hardware to find the best available slots. E.ON sells their own charger hardware that integrates directly with the tariff. Compatible third-party chargers can also work, though the depth of integration varies by model.

For most drivers on a standard overnight schedule, the difference between Next Drive and Next Drive Smart is convenience rather than cost. Both tariffs charge at the same off-peak rate; Smart simply removes the need to configure the schedule yourself.

If your charger is not compatible with Next Drive Smart, standard Next Drive works with any smart charger that has a scheduling function. Set it to start at midnight and you will charge at the off-peak rate automatically.

E.ON Next Drive rates as of November 2026:

E.ON Next Drive requires a smart meter. Without one, E.ON cannot verify when you are using electricity, so they cannot apply the lower overnight rate.

If you do not have a smart meter, E.ON will arrange a free installation. The process is straightforward: an engineer visits your home, replaces the existing meter (usually within two hours), and your new meter starts transmitting half-hourly readings immediately. You can then switch to Next Drive.

Smart meter installations are free under the government's smart metering programme. E.ON will cover the cost as part of the tariff switch process. You do not need to pay anything upfront.

If you already have a first-generation smart meter (SMETS1), it may need to be updated or replaced before it can communicate with E.ON. Most SMETS1 meters were migrated to the central network by 2023, but if yours was not, E.ON will advise on the next step.

1. 01
   Check you have a smart meter (or request one)

   Log into your E.ON account or call E.ON to confirm your meter type. If you need a smart meter, request an installation appointment first.
2. 02
   Check your current contract

   If you are on a fixed-rate tariff, check whether exit fees apply. Variable-rate tariffs typically have no exit fees. You can switch between E.ON tariffs without changing supplier.
3. 03
   Apply for Next Drive via your E.ON account

   Log into your E.ON online account and select the tariff switch option. Next Drive should appear as an available tariff for EV customers. The switch usually completes within a few days.
4. 04
   Set your charger to the off-peak window

   Once your tariff is live, configure your charger or car to start charging at midnight. For Next Drive Smart users, install the E.ON app and follow the charger pairing instructions.
5. 05
   Check your first bill

   Confirm the overnight rate is showing correctly on your first bill. If anything looks wrong, contact E.ON directly.

E.ON Next Drive works with any smart EV charger that supports scheduled charging. You do not need to buy an E.ON charger to benefit from the tariff.

The key requirement is that your charger can be set to start at a specific time. Almost every smart charger sold in the UK since 2022 has this function built in, either through the charger's own app or via your car's departure timer.

For the full Next Drive Smart integration, E.ON's own charger hardware is the simplest route. It connects directly to your E.ON account and handles scheduling without any manual configuration.

If you are buying a charger and are already with E.ON, it is worth checking whether the charger you are considering is compatible with Next Drive Smart before you commit. See our guide to the best home EV chargers for a full comparison of available options.