How cheap is Octopus Go overnight?

7.5p/kWh between 00:30 and 05:30 — less than a third of the standard 24.5p rate. This 5-hour window is enough to fully charge most EV batteries and top up a home battery.

Can I use Octopus Go without an EV?

Historically, Go required an EV. Octopus has relaxed this for some accounts — check your eligibility at octopus.energy. Even without an EV, the overnight rate benefits battery owners who charge cheaply for morning use.

Is Octopus Go or Flux better with solar?

Go is simpler and best for EV owners (7.5p overnight charging). Flux earns more for battery owners who can export at peak (24p) and avoid peak import (36p). For most households: Go. For battery optimisers: Flux.

Can I have Octopus Go for import and a different SEG supplier for export?

Yes. Your import tariff (Go) and your export tariff (SEG) can be with different suppliers. Choose whichever pays the best SEG rate for exports, and use Go for the cheapest import rate.

Octopus Go for Solar Owners

Last updated: 18 March 2026

Independently written

Octopus Go tariff optimising solar and EV charging overnight — Octopus Go gives you 7.5p/kWh overnight — perfect for topping up EV and battery from the grid.

Is Octopus Go good for solar panel owners?

Octopus Go charges just 7.5p/kWh between 00:30 and 05:30 — less than a third of the standard 24.5p rate. For solar owners, this means: cheap overnight EV charging (£171/year vs £559 at standard rate), cheap battery top-up for winter mornings, and low-cost grid import when solar is not generating. Combined with solar self-consumption during the day, your effective electricity cost drops to 5–10p/kWh average — a fraction of what non-solar households pay.

How Octopus Go Works with Solar

Octopus Go rates: - Off-peak (00:30–05:30): 7.5p/kWh - Peak (05:30–00:30): ~24.5p/kWh (similar to Ofgem cap)

Daily energy cycle for a solar + EV household:

| Time | Energy Source | Cost | |------|-------------|------| | 00:30–05:30 | Grid at 7.5p (charge EV + battery) | Very cheap | | 05:30–09:00 | Battery powers home | Free (stored) | | 09:00–16:00 | Solar powers home + charges battery + exports | Free | | 16:00–00:30 | Battery + grid at 24.5p | Mixed |

The result: - Daytime: free solar electricity - Overnight: ultra-cheap grid at 7.5p - Evening: battery covers most consumption - Grid at full rate: only when battery is empty (late evening/early night)

Average effective cost across the full day: 5–10p/kWh — compared to 24.5p for a household with no solar or smart tariff.

Source: Octopus Go published rates; solar + battery energy modelling.

Energy flow showing Go overnight charging and solar daytime generation — Go fills the gap that solar cannot: cheap overnight electricity when the sun is not shining.

Octopus Go + Solar: Annual Savings

Household with solar + EV + battery on Octopus Go:

| Energy Use | Annual kWh | Cost on Standard | Cost on Go + Solar | Saving | |-----------|-----------|-----------------|-------------------|--------| | Home electricity (daytime) | 2,000 | £490 | £0 (solar) | £490 | | Home electricity (evening) | 1,700 | £417 | £200 (battery + grid) | £217 | | EV charging | 2,280 | £559 | £171 (Go overnight) | £388 | | Total | 5,980 | £1,466 | £371 | £1,095 |

Total annual saving with solar + Go: £1,095 vs no solar and standard tariff.

Even without an EV: - Solar + Go (no EV): saves £707/year vs standard - Solar + Go + battery: saves £830/year vs standard

Source: Energy modelling; Octopus Go rates; Ofgem Q1 2026.

Electricity bill showing dramatic reduction with solar + Octopus Go — Solar + Octopus Go can reduce your total energy bill by 75% — from £1,466 to £371/year.

Go vs Flux: Which Is Better for Solar?

Octopus Go: - Cheap overnight: 7.5p (5 hours) - Standard daytime: ~24.5p - No premium export rate - Simple — one cheap window, one standard rate - Best for: EV owners who charge overnight

Octopus Flux: - Cheap overnight: ~10p (3 hours) - Premium peak export: ~24p (3 hours) - Expensive peak import: ~36p (3 hours) - Complex — three rate periods, requires active management - Best for: battery owners who can export during peak

Go wins when: - You have an EV that charges overnight (Go is 2.5p cheaper overnight) - You do not want complexity (one cheap rate vs three variable rates) - You cook/use heavy appliances at 5–7pm (Flux charges 36p during this window)

Flux wins when: - You have a battery and can export during 16:00–19:00 peak - You can completely avoid importing during 16:00–19:00 - You want maximum earnings from tariff arbitrage

For most solar + EV households: Go is simpler and nearly as valuable. For solar + battery experts: Flux squeezes more value but requires management.

Source: Octopus tariff comparison.

Octopus Go optimising solar EV charging — cheap overnight rate — Go is ideal for EV owners: 7.5p overnight charging + free solar charging during the day.

How to Sign Up for Octopus Go

You need a smart meter (SMETS2 recommended) — if you do not have one, Octopus will install one free
You need an EV or EV charger registered on your account (Go was originally EV-focused, though some accounts qualify without an EV)
Sign up at octopus.energy/go
The tariff applies from your next billing period
You can switch away at any time — no exit fees on Octopus variable tariffs
Go is available nationwide in the UK
Your solar SEG can stay with a different supplier — Go is your import tariff only

Octopus Go adds significant value to solar over 25 years — Over 25 years, the right tariff adds thousands to your solar returns — Go or Flux.

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