Octopus Go and Intelligent Octopus Go are both designed to make charging an electric car at home cheaper. They offer lower electricity prices overnight, allowing you to charge your EV for considerably less than you would pay on a standard electricity tariff.
The main difference is how the charging is managed.
Octopus Go gives you a fixed five-hour period of cheaper electricity every night and works with any electric car or charger. Intelligent Octopus Go gives you six cheaper hours for your whole home and automatically schedules a compatible car or charger to charge when electricity is expected to be cheaper.
For most drivers with compatible equipment, Intelligent Octopus Go is likely to be the better option. Octopus Go remains a useful alternative when your car or charger is not compatible or you prefer to manage charging yourself.
Octopus Go vs Intelligent Octopus Go
| Feature | Octopus Go | Intelligent Octopus Go |
|---|---|---|
| Cheaper whole-home period | Five hours | Six hours |
| Core hours | 12:30am to 5:30am | 11:30pm to 5:30am |
| Smart charging | No | Yes |
| Additional cheap charging slots | No | Sometimes |
| Compatibility | Any EV or charger | Compatible EV or charger required |
| Who controls charging? | You | Octopus |
| Smart meter required | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Simple scheduled charging | Automatic smart charging |
Electricity rates and standing charges vary by region. Octopus currently asks customers to enter their postcode to see the applicable Octopus Go and Intelligent Octopus Go rates.
Which Octopus EV tariff is likely to suit you?
Choose Intelligent Octopus Go if:
- your car or charger is compatible
- you want Octopus to schedule charging automatically
- you want six hours of cheaper whole-home electricity
- you may benefit from additional smart-charging periods
- you regularly charge your EV at home
Choose Octopus Go if:
- your car or charger is not compatible with Intelligent Octopus Go
- you want a simple fixed charging period
- you prefer to set your own charging timer
- five cheaper hours are enough for your normal charging needs
- you do not want Octopus to control the charging session
Intelligent Octopus Go generally provides the stronger package, but it has more eligibility requirements. Octopus Go is simpler and works with a wider range of charging setups.
How does Octopus Go work?
Octopus Go provides five hours of cheaper electricity every night from 12:30am to 5:30am.
The lower rate applies to all the electricity your home uses during that window, not just the energy used to charge the car. Electricity used outside those hours is charged at the tariff’s daytime rate.
Octopus does not control your charging. You need to use the timer in your car, charger or charging app to make sure charging starts when the cheaper period begins.
Its main advantage is compatibility. Octopus Go works with any electric car or charger, so you do not need to connect your vehicle to the Octopus app or find it on a compatibility list.
This makes Octopus Go a good option when:
- your setup is not supported by Intelligent Octopus Go
- you want the same charging period every night
- your car can complete its usual charge within five hours
- you are comfortable setting the charging schedule yourself
See our Octopus Go guide for the current tariff rates in your area, off-peak hours, eligibility and how to make the switch.
How does Intelligent Octopus Go work?
Intelligent Octopus Go provides six hours of cheaper whole-home electricity between 11:30pm and 5:30am.
It also connects to a compatible electric car or charger through the Octopus app. You tell the app when you need the car ready and how much charge you want, and Octopus creates a charging schedule.
Smart charging can sometimes take place outside the normal overnight window. When Octopus schedules the charging, the electricity used by the car is still charged at the off-peak rate. Other electricity used by your home outside the core six-hour window remains on the normal daytime rate.
For example, Octopus might schedule part of the charge before 11:30pm or after 5:30am if electricity is expected to be cheaper or greener at that time. You do not need to monitor prices or choose the individual charging periods yourself.
Intelligent Octopus Go currently offers:
- six hours of cheaper whole-home electricity every night
- eligible smart charging at 8p per kWh
- up to six hours of managed charging in each 24-hour period
- automatic scheduling based on when you need the car
- occasional smart-charging slots outside the core overnight window
The tariff is subject to a fair-use limit of six hours of managed charging per 24 hours. Octopus reserves the right to charge any additional managed charging above that limit at the daytime rate.
See our Intelligent Octopus Go guide for the current tariff rates in your area, smart-charging rules, eligibility and how to switch.
Is Intelligent Octopus Go cheaper than Octopus Go?
Intelligent Octopus Go will normally offer the better charging arrangement when your equipment is compatible.
It provides:
- one additional hour of cheaper whole-home electricity
- automatic smart charging
- the possibility of cheaper charging outside the core window
- a lower off-peak rate in many regions
Octopus explains that Intelligent Octopus Go can offer a lower rate because it controls when charging takes place. It can move EV charging away from more expensive periods and towards times when electricity is cheaper.
However, the lowest EV charging rate does not automatically mean the lowest overall household bill.
You should also compare:
- the daytime electricity rate
- the standing charge
- how much electricity your home uses during the day
- how much charging falls into the cheaper period
- whether you need to use immediate charging regularly
Rates vary by postcode, so compare the complete regional tariff rather than looking only at the advertised off-peak price.
What is the difference between fixed and smart charging?
Octopus Go uses a fixed schedule.
You know that electricity will be cheaper between 12:30am and 5:30am, so you set your car or charger to operate during that period.
Intelligent Octopus Go uses a mixture of fixed and smart scheduling.
The whole home receives the cheaper rate between 11:30pm and 5:30am. The car can also be charged during additional periods selected by Octopus, provided the charging is managed through the connected car or charger.
This gives Intelligent Octopus Go more flexibility, but it also means you need to allow Octopus to control the charging session.
You can still request immediate charging through the app. However, a boost charge outside the cheaper overnight window is billed at the daytime rate.
How much can you charge overnight?
The amount added to your car depends on the power of your home charger.
A typical 7kW charger could theoretically supply:
- around 35kWh during the five-hour Octopus Go window
- around 42kWh during the six-hour Intelligent Octopus Go window
Some electricity is lost during charging, so slightly less will reach the battery.
For an EV travelling around 3.5 miles per kWh, the difference between the two windows could represent roughly another 20 to 25 miles of driving range each night.
Most drivers do not charge from empty every day, so either window may be enough for regular top-ups. The extra hour becomes more valuable if you drive long distances, have a large EV battery or use a slower charger.
What if your car is not compatible?
Choose Octopus Go if neither your car nor charger can connect to Intelligent Octopus Go.
You still receive five cheaper hours every night, and you can use the charging timer in your car or charger to keep charging inside the off-peak window.
Before choosing Go, check both compatibility routes for Intelligent Octopus Go. Your car might not be supported directly, but your charger could be.
Octopus says Intelligent Octopus Go supports hundreds of car and charger combinations, with the list continuing to change as further integrations are added.
Can you charge more than one EV?
Octopus Go can be used to charge more than one EV during its fixed five-hour window, although the amount of electricity available will depend on your charger setup and household connection.
With Intelligent Octopus Go, only one car can be connected to smart charging at a time.
A second EV can still be charged manually during the guaranteed 11:30pm to 5:30am window. Alternatively, connecting through a compatible charger rather than an individual car may allow the charger to smart charge different EVs.
Can you use solar panels or a home battery?
Both tariffs can work well with a home battery because you can charge it using cheaper overnight electricity and use the stored energy during the more expensive daytime period.
Octopus Go and Intelligent Octopus Go can also be combined with selected Octopus export tariffs. The available combinations can change, so check compatibility before moving an existing solar export account.
Do not consider the import tariff in isolation. Compare the amount you could save on EV and battery charging with any change to the rate paid for exported solar electricity.
Frequently asked questions
Is Intelligent Octopus Go better than Octopus Go?
For most drivers with compatible equipment, yes.
Intelligent Octopus Go provides six cheaper whole-home hours rather than five, usually has a lower off-peak rate and can schedule additional cheap EV charging outside the standard overnight window.
Octopus Go is easier to join because it works with any EV or charger.
Does Intelligent Octopus Go always charge between 11:30pm and 5:30am?
Not necessarily.
The whole home receives the cheaper rate during those six hours, but Octopus may schedule the car to charge at other times. Smart charging arranged by Octopus is still billed at the off-peak rate, subject to its charging rules.
Does the cheap rate apply to the whole house?
Yes, during the fixed overnight window.
On Intelligent Octopus Go, additional smart slots outside that window provide the cheaper rate for managed EV charging. They do not normally make all household electricity cheaper during that period.
Can I control when Intelligent Octopus Go charges my car?
You set when the car needs to be ready and how much charge it needs, but Octopus chooses the individual charging periods.
You can request an immediate boost charge, although charging outside the off-peak window will be billed at the daytime rate.
Do I need an Octopus charger?
No.
Octopus Go works with any EV or charger. Intelligent Octopus Go needs a compatible car or charger, but the equipment does not have to be supplied by Octopus.
Can I switch from Octopus Go to Intelligent Octopus Go later?
Yes, provided your car or charger is compatible and your smart meter is sending half-hourly readings.
You will need to connect the equipment through the Octopus app and complete the Intelligent Octopus Go setup process.