E.ON Next Drive: rates, hours and is it worth it?
Quick answer
Next Drive Smart
6.5p per kWh
Next Drive
8.5p per kWh
Exit fees
None
E.ON Next has two EV tariffs. Next Drive Smart costs 6.5p per kWh from midnight to 6am, the cheapest off-peak rate we've found. It needs a compatible car or charger, because E.ON schedules your charging. Next Drive costs 8.5p over the same hours and works with any setup. Both cover your whole home, are fixed for 12 months, and have no exit fees.
Rates
| Next Drive Smart | Next Drive | |
|---|---|---|
| Off-peak rate | 6.5p per kWh | 8.5p per kWh |
| Off-peak hours | Midnight to 6am, plus scheduled smart charging | Midnight to 6am |
| Peak rate | 34.042p per kWh | Check your quote |
| Contract | Off-peak rate fixed for 12 months | Fixed for 12 months |
| Exit fee | None | None |
From E.ON Next, correct as of 21 October 2026. Peak rates and standing charges vary by region, so get a quote for your postcode.
How Next Drive Smart works
In the E.ON Next Home app, you set how much charge you need and when the car must be ready, any time between 4am and 11am. E.ON then schedules charging at the cheapest times. Any charging it schedules is billed at 6.5p, even outside midnight to 6am. If you boost-charge, or charge in the daytime without smart charging, you pay the peak rate of 34.042p.
E.ON expects you to use smart charging regularly, and may move you off the tariff if you don't.
What you need
- A smart meter that sends half-hourly readings, for both tariffs.
- For Next Drive Smart: a compatible car, or a compatible charger such as a myenergi zappi, Hypervolt or Indra. Only one EV is supported per account. Check E.ON's supported vehicles list before switching.
- For Next Drive: any EV and any charger. Set a timer to charge after midnight.
How much could you save?
Charging 2,400 kWh a year costs about £156 at 6.5p per kWh, compared with about £632 at the 26.32p price cap rate, a saving of around £476 on the car.
The peak rate of 34.042p is above the price cap, so 2,700 kWh of daytime use costs about £208 more. That leaves you roughly £267 a year better off on Next Drive Smart, and more if you move appliances into the cheap hours.
Who it suits
Good fit: you have a compatible car or charger and want the lowest overnight rate, or you want an EV tariff with no exit fees so you can switch freely.
Worth comparing: EDF GoElectric is slightly dearer overnight at 6.66p, but its peak rate of about 27.5p is much lower, which can make it cheaper overall if you use a lot of electricity during the day.
Common questions
What is the E.ON Next Drive rate?
Next Drive Smart costs 6.5p per kWh from midnight to 6am, plus any smart charging E.ON schedules. Next Drive costs 8.5p per kWh from midnight to 6am.
Does E.ON Next Drive have an exit fee?
No. Both Next Drive and Next Drive Smart have no exit fees, so you can switch at any time.
Which chargers work with Next Drive Smart?
E.ON supports the myenergi zappi, Hypervolt and Indra chargers, or a compatible car connected directly. Next Drive, without Smart, works with any charger.
Is E.ON Next Drive Smart the cheapest EV tariff?
It has the cheapest off-peak rate we've found, at 6.5p per kWh. Overall cost also depends on the peak rate, where EDF GoElectric is lower.
Sources
Rates, hours, terms and requirements from E.ON Next: Next Drive and Next Drive Smart (correct as of 21 October 2026). Rates and schemes change, so check with the supplier or GOV.UK before you rely on them.