Intelligent Octopus Go is Octopus Energy’s flagship smart EV tariff for households with an electric car. It pairs a cheap overnight rate (currently at around 8p/kWh, though regional rates vary) with automated smart charging, where Octopus schedules when your car or charger draws power. This page explains how it works, what you need to qualify, and who it actually suits.
If you’re weighing it up against the simpler Octopus Go, against other suppliers’ EV tariffs, or against staying on a standard variable, the goal here is to give you the facts without the sales pitch.
What is Intelligent Octopus Go?
Intelligent Octopus Go is a smart import tariff designed for electric vehicle drivers. The deal is straightforward in principle. You get a low off-peak unit rate, currently advertised at around 8p/kWh, applied to all electricity used during a guaranteed overnight window. In exchange, Octopus controls when your car or charger actually pulls power during smart-scheduled sessions, optimising for grid demand and renewable supply.
It is one of several Octopus EV tariff options, sitting alongside the simpler Octopus Go (a fixed-window time-of-use tariff that works with any EV and any charger) and Octopus Agile (half-hourly variable pricing).
To be on Intelligent Go, you need an Octopus electricity supply, a smart meter capable of half-hourly readings, the Octopus app, and either a compatible electric vehicle or a compatible smart charger. More on what “compatible” means below.
How does Intelligent Octopus Go work?
There are two parts to how this tariff actually delivers cheap electricity, and it helps to separate them.
The whole-home off-peak window. Every Intelligent Octopus Go customer gets a guaranteed six-hour cheap window from 11:30pm to 5:30am. During that period, everything in the house pays the off-peak rate. Dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer, hot water cylinder, home battery, heat pump on a timer. Anything you can shift into that window benefits from the low unit rate, not just the car.
Smart-scheduled EV charging. Plug your car in, set a charge target in the Octopus app (the percentage you want, and the time you need it ready by), and Octopus does the rest. The scheduling algorithm picks slots based on grid conditions, wholesale prices, and renewable availability. Crucially, smart-scheduled charging gets the off-peak rate even when the slots fall outside the 11:30pm–5:30am window. So if Octopus schedules part of your charge for 2pm on a sunny afternoon, you pay the cheap rate for that slot.
There is a catch, and it’s a new change which took effect in 2026. Octopus now applies a 6-hour daily cap on smart-controlled cheap charging. The first six hours of smart-scheduled charging in any 24-hour period are billed at the off-peak rate. Anything beyond that is billed at the peak rate, even if it falls within the overnight window. Around 80% of charging sessions already come in under six hours, so most drivers won’t notice. Drivers with very large batteries, slow chargers, or unusually depleted starting states are the ones who need to pay attention.
A new feature called Charge Cap lets you decide how to handle this. Toggle it on and Octopus will stop charging at the six-hour mark, even if your target hasn’t been hit. Toggle it off and the car keeps charging to your target, with any extra time billed at peak.
The peak rate, applied outside scheduled slots and the overnight window, is usually a bit higher than a standard variable tariff. That is the trade-off. You pay slightly more during the day in return for a very low rate overnight and on smart-scheduled charging.
There’s also “bump charging”. If you need a top-up outside any scheduled slot and override the smart control to charge immediately, you pay the peak rate for that session.
Current Intelligent Octopus Go rates
The headline off-peak rate is around 8p/kWh, though following policy cost reductions from April 2026 actual regional rates have come down further in many areas. From 1 April 2026, the UK government removed approximately £150 of green levy costs from household energy bills, with Ofgem confirming the April 2026 energy price cap fell by around £117 for a typical dual-fuel home. Octopus passed these savings on, and off-peak rates on Intelligent Octopus Go fell by roughly 3.5p per kWh across all regions. In some areas, off-peak rates are now below 6p/kWh.
Peak rates and standing charges vary by region. Octopus prices according to the 14 UK distribution network operator (DNO) regions, so the actual figures on your bill depend on where you live. Don’t take a rate quoted in a generic article and assume it applies to you.
As of March 2026, Intelligent Octopus Go is being offered as a 6-month fixed tariff with a £25 exit fee if you leave before the term ends. The variable version that previously existed is currently paused, with Octopus citing volatile wholesale prices. This may change. Always check the official Octopus rate-checker for your postcode before signing up.
Comparison: Intelligent Octopus Go vs Octopus Go vs standard variable
| Feature | Intelligent Octopus Go | Octopus Go | Standard variable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Off-peak rate | ~8p/kWh (varies by region) | ~10–11p/kWh (varies by region) | No off-peak rate |
| Off-peak window | 11:30pm–5:30am, plus smart-scheduled slots | 12:30am–5:30am (fixed) | N/A |
| Off-peak length | 6 hours guaranteed + up to 6 hours smart charging | 5 hours | N/A |
| Smart control of charging | Yes (Octopus schedules via the app) | No | No |
| Compatible car or charger required | Yes | No (works with any EV and any charger) | No |
| Peak rate vs price cap | Usually slightly higher | Usually slightly higher | Tracks the price cap |
| Best for | EV homes with compatible kit, willing to shift load overnight | EV homes wanting simple fixed window, or with incompatible kit | Households without an EV or unable to shift usage overnight |
Rates accurate as a guide for 2026.
Who is Intelligent Octopus Go good for?
The honest answer is: EV households who can shift a meaningful share of their electricity use overnight, and who have compatible kit.
In practice that means:
- EV owners with a compatible car or charger (see eligibility below).
- Households that can routinely run the dishwasher, washing machine, tumble dryer, hot water heating, or home battery charging during the 11:30pm–5:30am window.
- Solar households who want a cheap way to top up a home battery overnight when solar generation is low. The combination of solar export by day and cheap import overnight works well.
- Heat pump households where some operation can run during the off-peak window, particularly thermal stores or hot water cylinders.
- Drivers who want low effort. Octopus handles the scheduling, you just set the target charge and the deadline.
Who should avoid Intelligent Octopus Go?
It isn’t a fit for everyone, and Octopus’s marketing tends to gloss over this part.
Avoid Intelligent Octopus Go if:
- Your EV and charger aren’t on the compatible list, and you don’t want to upgrade.
- You charge mostly during the day, at work, or away from home. You’d pay the higher peak rate at home and get little benefit from the cheap window.
- Your daytime electricity use is high and inflexible (multiple people working from home all day, electric heating on during peak hours, no ability to time-shift). The slightly higher peak rate may outweigh the off-peak savings.
- You’d be better served by Octopus Go’s simpler fixed window, particularly if your kit isn’t compatible.
- A different supplier’s EV tariff (EDF GoElectric, OVO Charge Anytime, E.ON Drive) gives a better fit for your driving pattern or postcode region.
Don’t sign up because the 8p headline rate looks good in isolation. Look at your typical 24-hour usage pattern first.
Eligibility and how to switch
To qualify for Intelligent Octopus Go you need:
- An Octopus electricity supply at the property.
- A smart meter capable of half-hourly readings (SMETS2 or compatible SMETS1).
- The Octopus app installed and an account set up.
- Either a compatible electric vehicle or a compatible home charger.
You don’t need both. A compatible car alone is enough, even with a non-compatible charger, and vice versa. The compatibility check happens via Octopus’s online tool.
Compatible chargers typically include models from Ohme (Home Pro and ePod, with direct API integration), Myenergi (Zappi and Zappi GLO), Hypervolt (Home 3 Pro), Indra (Smart Pro and Smart Lux), Andersen (Quartz and A3), VCHRGD (Seven and Seven Pro), and Wallbox. The list updates regularly. All four of the leading brands (Ohme, myenergi, Hypervolt, Andersen) can be linked as a charger device in the Octopus app for smart scheduling.
Compatible vehicles include many models from Audi, BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Renault, Tesla, Volkswagen, Volvo, and others. The precise list of trim levels and model years varies, so check Octopus’s compatibility tool with your exact car and registration before assuming.
Switching process. If you’re already with Octopus on a standard tariff, signing up to Intelligent Go takes a few minutes in the app once your kit passes the compatibility check. New customers switching in from another supplier are typically placed on Octopus Flexible (the standard variable tariff) first while the supply transfer and smart meter setup complete, then migrated onto Intelligent Octopus Go automatically.
Exit fees. The current 12-month fixed deal has no exit fees, so you can switch away if a better tariff appears. If your circumstances change in a more fundamental way (you sell the compatible car, or your charger fails and the replacement isn’t compatible) Octopus will usually move you to a suitable alternative tariff. Always check the specific terms when you sign up, since Octopus has changed its fixed/variable structure a few times recently.
One vehicle per account, with some exceptions. Smart scheduling is generally limited to one EV per account, though the second car can still get the cheap rate via a manual overnight schedule. The exception to the one-car rule is certain car-to-Octopus integrations (Tesla being the main one), where two compatible vehicles on the same account can both be managed via the car’s own integration. This doesn’t apply when the integration is via the charger, since a charger can only read one car’s specs at a time. Most two-EV households put one car on smart scheduling and charge the second manually inside the 11:30pm–5:30am window, where the off-peak rate is guaranteed.
Intelligent Octopus Go vs other Octopus EV tariffs
Octopus Go. The simpler, older sibling. A 6-month fixed tariff with a £25 exit fee, off-peak window 00:30 to 05:30. Works with any EV and any home charger. No smart control, no compatibility list, no app required for scheduling. Off-peak rate is usually slightly higher than Intelligent Go’s. Suits drivers who want a simple, predictable cheap window with zero faff.
Octopus Agile. Half-hourly variable pricing tied to the wholesale market. Cheaper than Intelligent Go at times, much more expensive at others. Suits households comfortable managing usage actively, or those with smart appliances and home batteries that can respond to price signals automatically. Not specifically an EV tariff, but EV drivers with the right setup can do well on it.
Cosy Octopus. A three-rate tariff aimed at heat pump households. Not an EV tariff, but worth mentioning for households juggling both. The cheap windows on Cosy don’t align as well with overnight EV charging.
Intelligent Octopus Go offers the longest combined cheap window (6 hours guaranteed plus up to 6 hours of smart-scheduled charging) and typically the lowest headline rate, in exchange for needing compatible kit and giving Octopus control of when your car charges.
FAQ
Do I need an electric car for Intelligent Octopus Go?
Yes. The tariff is designed for EV households and the compatibility check looks for either a qualifying car or a qualifying home charger. Without an EV, you’re better off on a standard variable tariff or, depending on your usage pattern, Octopus Agile or Cosy.
What cars and chargers are compatible with Intelligent Octopus Go?
The compatible list updates regularly. Common compatible chargers include Ohme, myenergi Zappi, Hypervolt Home 3 Pro, Indra, Andersen, VCHRGD, and Wallbox. Compatible vehicles include many models from Audi, BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Jaguar, Kia, Renault, Tesla, Volkswagen, and Volvo. Always check the Octopus compatibility tool with your specific car or charger model before committing.
Can I get Intelligent Octopus Go without being an Octopus customer first?
You need to be an Octopus electricity customer to be on Intelligent Octopus Go. If you’re switching from another supplier, you’ll typically be placed on Octopus Flexible during the transfer, then moved onto Intelligent Go once the smart meter is set up and compatibility is confirmed. The whole process usually takes around three weeks.
What are the off-peak hours on Intelligent Octopus Go?
The guaranteed whole-home off-peak window is 11:30pm to 5:30am every day. On top of that, up to six hours of smart-scheduled EV charging per 24-hour period can be at the off-peak rate, and those slots can fall inside or outside the overnight window depending on grid conditions.
Is the whole house on the cheap rate during off-peak hours, or just the car?
The whole house. Anything you run between 11:30pm and 5:30am pays the off-peak rate, not just the EV. That’s a big part of the appeal for households that can shift dishwasher, laundry, hot water, or battery charging overnight.
Can I charge two electric cars on Intelligent Octopus Go?
Usually only one. Smart scheduling is normally limited to a single EV per account, with one exception: certain car-to-Octopus integrations (notably Tesla) can manage two compatible vehicles on the same account. This only works through the car’s integration, not the charger’s, since a charger can only handle one car’s specs at a time. For most two-EV households, the practical approach is to put one car on smart scheduling and charge the second manually inside the 11:30pm–5:30am window, where the off-peak rate is guaranteed regardless.
What is the 6-hour smart charging cap?
As of 2026, Octopus applies a daily cap on smart-controlled cheap charging. The first 6 hours of smart-scheduled charging in any 24-hour period are billed at the off-peak rate. If more than 6 hours is scheduled to hit your target, only the first 6 hours get the discount and the rest is billed at the peak rate, even within the overnight window. Around 80% of sessions already come in under six hours. A new Charge Cap feature in the app lets you choose between stopping at the cap or continuing to charge at peak rates to hit your target.
Is Intelligent Octopus Go better than Octopus Go?
Depends on your kit and your usage pattern. Intelligent Go is usually cheaper if you have compatible kit and can use the overnight window for other appliances. Octopus Go is simpler, works with anything, and may suit drivers who only need a short top-up most nights. If your car or charger isn’t on the compatible list, Octopus Go is the obvious alternative.
Are there exit fees on Intelligent Octopus Go?
Not currently. The 12-month fixed version of Intelligent Octopus Go has no exit fees, so you can switch away if a better deal comes along. This structure has changed a couple of times in 2026 already (an earlier 6-month fix carried a £25 exit fee), so check the current terms before signing up.
Does Intelligent Octopus Go work with solar panels?
It pairs well. The cheap overnight window is useful for topping up a home battery when solar generation is low (winter nights, for example), and you can pair Intelligent Go with an Octopus export tariff like Outgoing Octopus to get paid for the solar electricity you send to the grid during the day. Worth checking the current export rate separately, since that has moved in 2026 too.