In summary:
- An EV tariff can make overnight vehicle charging considerably cheaper
- A higher daytime rate could increase the cost of powering the rest of your home
- Compare your own peak usage, off-peak usage and annual vehicle charging before switching
EV tariffs can offer significantly cheaper electricity overnight, making them attractive to electric and plug-in hybrid owners. However, the cheapest charging rate does not tell the whole story.
Some EV tariffs charge more for electricity used during the day. That means the saving made while charging your Jaecoo needs to be compared with any increase in the cost of powering the rest of your home.
Important: This guide provides an illustrative comparison and is not a recommendation to switch tariffs. Energy prices, standing charges, off-peak periods and eligibility requirements vary. Check your own smart-meter data, household electricity usage and vehicle-charging habits before deciding whether an EV tariff is suitable for you.
Jump to a section
- The short answer
- Typical UK household electricity usage
- Jaecoo battery sizes
- Standard tariffs compared with EV tariffs
- What it could cost to charge each Jaecoo
- Why cheaper charging may not mean a cheaper bill
- How much charging could recover the difference
- Illustrative annual comparison
- Compare a tariff using your own usage
- What Jaecoo owners should consider
The short answer
An EV tariff could reduce your overall electricity bill if you regularly charge at home and can use enough electricity during the cheaper off-peak period. It may be less suitable if you charge infrequently, rely mainly on public chargers or use a large amount of household electricity during a more expensive daytime period.
The important figure is not simply how much a full charge costs. It is the difference between your total household and vehicle electricity costs before and after switching.
How much electricity does a typical UK household use?
Ofgem's current medium-consumption benchmark for a household with a single-rate electricity meter is 2,500 kWh per year. That is approximately:
- 208 kWh per month
- 48 kWh per week
- 6.85 kWh per day
This is a standard benchmark rather than a prediction of what every family will use. A household's actual consumption can vary considerably depending on its size, heating system, appliances and lifestyle.
How large are the Jaecoo batteries?
| Model | Battery capacity | Vehicle type |
|---|---|---|
| Jaecoo J7 SHS-P | 18.3 kWh | Plug-in hybrid |
| Jaecoo J5 EV / E5 Electric | Approximately 61 kWh | Fully electric |
| Jaecoo J8 SHS-P | 34.46 kWh | Plug-in hybrid |
Battery size helps illustrate the potential cost of an individual charge, but it does not determine whether an EV tariff is suitable. What matters more is how many kilowatt-hours you actually put into the vehicle over a month or year.
What is the difference between a standard and EV tariff?
A standard single-rate tariff generally charges the same unit rate throughout the day. An EV tariff normally offers a much cheaper rate for a limited overnight period, sometimes with a higher rate during the remaining hours.
For this worked example, we have used the following published rates:
- Standard tariff: 26.11p per kWh
- Example EV-tariff daytime rate: 30.415p per kWh
- Example EV-tariff overnight rate: 8p per kWh between midnight and 6am
The standard figure is Ofgem's average capped electricity rate for direct-debit customers in England, Scotland and Wales from 1 July to 30 September 2026. The EV figures are from E.ON Next Drive Smart and are used only to demonstrate the calculation. Prices can vary by supplier, tariff, region and date.
What would it cost to charge each Jaecoo?
| Model | At 26.11p/kWh | At 8p/kWh | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| J7 SHS-P | £4.78 | £1.46 | £3.31 |
| J5 EV / E5 Electric | £15.93 | £4.88 | £11.05 |
| J8 SHS-P | £9.00 | £2.76 | £6.24 |
These are theoretical 0–100% battery costs. They exclude charging losses, so the amount of electricity drawn from the wall, and therefore the real cost, will normally be slightly higher. Most owners will also use a mixture of partial charges rather than repeatedly charging from empty.
Why cheaper charging does not automatically mean a cheaper bill
Using the Ofgem household benchmark, 2,500 kWh of annual household electricity would cost approximately £652.75 at 26.11p per kWh.
For a deliberately conservative comparison, suppose all 2,500 kWh were charged at the example EV tariff's 30.415p daytime rate. The same household electricity would then cost approximately £760.38—an increase of £107.63 per year before charging the car.
In reality, some household electricity is naturally used overnight. If the lower rate applies to the whole home, that overnight usage could reduce the difference. Appliances such as a washing machine or dishwasher may also be scheduled during the cheaper period where it is safe and practical to do so.
How much vehicle charging would recover that difference?
In this example, charging at 8p instead of 26.11p saves 18.11p for every kWh supplied to the vehicle.
Recovering the illustrative £107.63 increase would therefore require approximately:
£107.63 ÷ £0.1811 = 594 kWh of vehicle charging per year
That is approximately 50 kWh per month. Expressed as complete battery equivalents, it would represent:
| Model | Annual battery equivalents | Approximate monthly equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| J7 SHS-P | Approximately 32.5 | 2.7 |
| J5 EV / E5 Electric | Approximately 9.7 | 0.8 |
| J8 SHS-P | Approximately 17.2 | 1.4 |
These do not need to be complete 0–100% charging sessions. For example, two half-battery charges use approximately the same amount of electricity as one complete battery equivalent.
Illustrative annual comparison
The table below combines the typical household benchmark with different amounts of annual vehicle charging. It continues to use the conservative assumption that all non-vehicle household electricity is charged at the EV tariff's daytime rate.
| Annual vehicle charging | Standard tariff total | EV tariff total | Illustrative difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 kWh | £652.75 | £760.38 | EV tariff £107.63 higher |
| 500 kWh | £783.30 | £800.38 | EV tariff £17.08 higher |
| 1,000 kWh | £913.85 | £840.38 | EV tariff £73.47 lower |
| 2,000 kWh | £1,174.95 | £920.38 | EV tariff £254.57 lower |
| 3,000 kWh | £1,436.05 | £1,000.38 | EV tariff £435.67 lower |
This is not a forecast of anyone's bill. It demonstrates why both sides of the tariff need to be considered - the amount saved on overnight charging and the amount added, or potentially saved, cross the rest of the household.
How to compare a tariff using your own usage
Before changing tariff, check:
- Your annual electricity consumption: you can find this on a recent bill or in your supplier's app
- When you use electricity: smart-meter data can show how much is consumed during the proposed peak and off-peak periods
- How much you charge at home: consider your annual mileage, electric efficiency and whether you also charge at work or at public chargers
- The complete tariff: compare the daytime rate, off-peak rate, standing charge, off-peak hours, exit fees and contract length.
- Whether the cheap rate covers the whole home: some tariffs apply it to all household electricity during the off-peak window but others have different conditions
- Eligibility and equipment: a smart meter, compatible EV or compatible home charger may be required.
A simple comparison is:
- Current tariff: all household electricity plus home vehicle charging at your current unit rate.
- EV tariff: daytime household electricity at the peak rate, plus overnight household electricity and vehicle charging at the off-peak rate.
Remember to add the applicable standing charges to both sides.
What should Jaecoo owners take from this?
For some Jaecoo owners, cheaper overnight charging could more than offset a higher daytime electricity rate. For others. particularly those who charge infrequently or consume significant electricity during peak hours, it may not.
The size of the vehicle's battery changes the cost of an individual charge, but it is your total annual home-charging consumption that determines the potential saving. Checking your own usage, charging habits and peak-versus-off-peak consumption is the only reliable way to compare tariffs.
For more practical charging and ownership information, visit the Jaecoo Owners Hub.
Rates and information checked August 2026. Charging-cost calculations exclude charging losses and standing charges unless stated otherwise. Tariff rates and vehicle specifications can change.