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octopus go review

OCTOPUS ENERGY GO TARIFF

Octopus Go is a smart electricity tariff that guarantees cheap overnight electricity at 9.0p / kWh for 4 hours every night (between 12.30 and 4.30 am) and 30.52p per kWh for the remaining 20 hours. The off-peak tariff assures EV drivers of reduced motoring.

Octopus Go is designed for customers who can charge their Electric Vehicles at home off-peak. Charging can be done very cheaply overnight keeping costs to around 2.25p per mile.

Octopus Go

Charging your Electric Vehicle overnight is a cheap, and easy way to reduce your energy bill.  On Octopus Go you’ll get a reduced rate of 9p per kWh between 12.30 am and 4.30 am.

Set a charge using;

  • The scheduling function within your EV.
  •  A smart charger or cable.
  • Automated charging using Home Assistant. (For the geeks amongst you.)

What are the benefits of Octopus Go?

  • Reduce your overall energy bill.
  • Reduce the cost of energy charging your electric vehicle.
  • Decrease your environmental impact.
  • Make your home energy work smarter for you and the planet.🌍

During your off-peak times, you have to work your side hustle in using cheap energy. So get the EV charged and preset the dishwasher and washing machine. You can also start using energy to charge phones, devices, or even home battery storage, anything that would use a lot of kWh. This is where shifting your energy use can really start to pay off financially. Plus you’ll also be helping the planet!!👏💚

How much does Octopus Go cost?

Octopus Go is 9.0p per kWh off-peak with a daytime rate of 30.52p per kWh. The daily standing charging charge remains at 52.18p. The Octopus Go rate is a variable tariff. It is an amazing deal if you want electric off-peak for charging!! (Prices may vary slightly in different geographical locations)

As Octopus Go is a flexible tariff it should, in theory, rise and fall in line with the Energy Price Cap. The next Octopus Go price change is on the 1st of April 2024 when the day rate will go down and the standing charge may go up too (it is dependent on where you live in the UK), however, the off-peak rate will remain the same.

Octopus Go
Tariff
From 01/01/24
Energy Price
Electricity.30.52p per kWh
Off-peak pricing. 4 hours - 00.30 to 04.30 🚘9.0p per kWh
Standing charge. 52.18p per day

You can check the Octopus Go rate for your geographical area on the Octopus website.

Is there an Octopus Go Gas Tariff?

No. Octopus Go is simply for your electricity but you can pick a standard Octopus gas Tariff to sit alongside your Go electricity tariff. For example, the Octopus Flexible tariff.

Is Octopus Go any good?

Yes, it is good for EV charging but Intelligent Octopus Go is cheaper. The off-peak rate on the intelligent tariff is 7.5p per kWh for 6 hours.  The Intelligent Octopus Go tariff is without a doubt a better deal.

There isn’t a hidden catch in switching to Octopus Go. You’ll just need a smart meter that sends half-hourly readings to Octopus. You’re not locked into this tariff. You can switch to another tariff at any time or even leave Octopus Energy with no penalties.

🤦‍♀️🧑‍💻⚡️👊

Has the Octopus Energy Go tariff decreased in price over the last 12 months?

On the 21st of April 2023, Octopus reduced the off-peak rate from 12p per kWh to 9.5p per kWh. On the 1st of July 2023, the day reduced quite dramatically too. The next price change on Octopus Go is the 1st April 2024

@sarah_go_green @Octopus Energy #gotariff #intelligenttariff #intelligentoctopus #octopusgo #octopusevtariff #octopustariffs #smarttariffs ♬ Happy Ukulele – TonsTone


The Octopus Go tariff had its last off-peak price variation on the 15th of September 2023 when the off-peak rate was reduced from 9.5p per kWh to 9p per kWh. There will be a price reduction on the day rate on the 1st of April but the standing charge will go up.

Intelligent Octopus Go will see the same price reduction on the 1st of April 2024. I think getting customers to switch to the Intelligent version of the tariff is a priority for Octopus and enticing people in with lower rates and a longer off-peak window does that. However, the off-peak rate will remain unchanged from 1st April which is a shame.

Is it cheaper to stay on the Octopus Flexible tariff or switch to Octopus Go?

  • The Octopus Flexible tariff is now 28.71p per kWh for electricity from 1st January until 31st March 2024 in South Wales.
  • The Octopus Go daytime rate in South Wales is 30.52p per kWh.

The Octopus Go rate like the Octopus Flexible tariff is a variable rate that can go up and down in line with the Energy Price Cap.

I use around 55% of my energy off-peak and I don’t have high mileage. My average price per kWh with a day rate of 40p was between 16p and 19p a kWh. Now I have battery storage as well as an EV it is very rare for my average rate to go beyond 9p per kWh. I simply to fill up my home battery at the same time as I charge my EV each night and it runs the house on off-peak electricty.

Does the whole household need to change their energy use to benefit from Octopus Go?

No. In a recent survey by Ofgem, most EV owners stated that they hadn’t made any changes to how they use their electricity at home. The assumption seemed to be that to fully benefit from the switch to an intelligent tariff the whole household needs to modify their energy use. 🤯 With Octopus Go this isn’t the case! 👏

“But my wife and kids don’t care, if they need their clothes they’ll put on the tumble dryer.”

That’s fine! You only need to try and load shift around 40% to make a real difference. I have 3 teenagers and it is possible.

If you look at your Octopus dashboard, you will also see many third-party devices and ideas that help keep your energy consumption down!!

Comparing Octopus Flexible tariff to Octopus Go tariff for EV charging.

Compare Energy Prices
Octopus Flexible Tariff -EPC average price (Electricity) 01/01/2024 to 31/03/2024Octopus Go Tariff.
36.36p per kWh30.52p kWh (04.30 - 00.30)
15.71p per kWh off-peak Eco 7.9.0p kWh off-peak. (00.30 - 04.30)
52.28p per day standing charge.52.18p per day standing charge

How do you switch to the Octopus Go tariff?

As a new customer, you’ll simply have to switch to Octopus Energy and go on their Flexible tariff before making your switch to Octopus Go. As a new customer, you have to sign up for a nonsmart tariff when you switch. It’s then a case of moving from your interim tariff to your chosen smart tariff, such as Octopus Go.

  1. Switch to Octopus Energy. (This usually takes around 5 days)
  2. Octopus must be satisfied that they are receiving half-hourly readings from your smart meter. (This usually happens within 14 days but could take longer.know when your smart meter is working and connected
  3. You can then switch to Octopus Go.

You can check on your Octopus Energy dashboard to see if half-hourly readings are being received.

If you haven’t got a smart meter it’s a case of switching, requesting a smart meter, and waiting for an installation date to become available in your area. You’ll need a Secure SMETS1 (Secure is a brand name and it’s written on the front of the meter) or a SMETS2 smart meter to switch to any of the Octopus smart tariffs.

How can I tell if I have a SMETS2 smart meter already?

Look out for ‘GUID’ or a Device ID which looks like this: AA-BB-CC-DD-EE-FF-00-GG-ZZ on the front of the meter.  If you can see a number like this it is a good indication you have a SMETS2 meter.  

There’s no getting around it switching to Octopus Go does take a little more time than a standard tariff.

Here’s what Octopus has to say.

“Octopus Go is a beta product. If you’re OK that some things may not work the first time, that installations and processes may take longer than we’d like, and that on occasion data issues with smart meters can take significant time to fix or prevent things from working at all, but that you’d like to work with us to make world-changing energy tariffs a reality. You will always be able to switch to one of our fairly priced standard tariffs at any time.”

Take your first step towards cheaper EV charging.↓🚘🥳

Ready to make the switch? Simply switch to your interim tariff, such as flexible Octopus ( the flexible Octopus tariff is protected by the Energy Price Guarantee) and contact Octopus Energy to get your smart meter installed or checked. Following half-hourly meter readings, you will be ready to switch to Octopus Go.

All traditional and smart tariffs are available to new customers. Yes, you can switch to Octopus Energy using the link.

All traditional and smart tariffs are available to new customers. Yes, you can switch to Octopus Energy using the link above. Once you have entered a few short questions you will be given a quote. I have circled the price per kWh below. You can then make the switch with just a few short clicks.

For any smart / tracker tariffs, you will have to sign up for the Octopus Flexible tariff first and then when the switch is complete ask to be moved to the smart or tracker tariff. It can sometimes take a little time as Octopus needs to make sure they are receiving readings from your smart meter.

How do you renew your Octopus Go Tariff?

The Octopus Go tariff is no longer a fixed tariff. As a flexible tariff, there is no need to worry about renewal. If you are already on a fixed version of Octopus Go and this is about to come to an end you will receive a notification of the tariffs available to you. If you have any questions email agile@octopus.energy.

EV drivers can help the national grid by plugging in off-peak.

Charging your electric vehicle off-peak not only means you will save money but you’ll also be helping to balance the national grid. As a result of being more flexible not only will you save oodles of money on home charging you’ll be helping to make energy cleaner and greener too 👏 🌍

In my opinion, if you own an electric car and have a smart meter installed at home this is a complete no-brainer, you should consider a switch to Octopus Go! It’s a simple and straightforward way to charge your electric car off-peak at a very competitive 9.0p per kWh. 

If your EV is compatible or if you have an Ohme EV charger I would strongly suggest considering also looking at the Intelligent Octopus tariff. You can read about how this could help the grid become greener in the Octopus blog post.

If you own an electric vehicle knowing the price per kWh of electricity is as important as knowing the price of petrol or diesel at your local petrol station. It’s how you’ll save money. 👀💷

  • Octopus Go is 30.52p per kWh with a discount period of 9.0p per kWh and a daily standing charge of 52.18p. 
  • New Octopus customers who own an electric vehicle can also sign up for Octopus Go if they have a smart meter.
  • Charging your electric vehicle at home SHOULD NOT add hundreds of pounds to your energy bill each year. I could charge my Tesla Model Y off-peak on Octopus Go, from empty to full, giving you around 300 miles of driving for approximately £5.00!!  🤯🤩😳🥳

I think charging an electric vehicle at home without grabbing a discounted tariff is still going to be far less than filling up a traditional car at a petrol station BUT why would anyone want to pay quadruple the price? Just treat a smart meter like a green loyalty card that gives you masses of discounts on electricity off-peak!

Quick Tips

If you have been with another supplier and you’re not sure if your SMETS1 smart meter will work Octopus look for the word “Secure”. It should be written on the front of your smart meter.  Secure is a tradename.  Secure also supplied meters to Utilita, Shell, OVO, E.ON, and Bristol Energy.  Any other brand of SMETS1 smart meter will not retain its smart functionality if you switch to Octopus.

Read about a new beta tariff called Octopus Intelligent Go.

Will I get paid for exporting my solar energy with Octopus Go? 

Yes, Octopus Energy Go Outgoing tariff currently pays customers to export electricity to the grid.  On Octopus Go you are limited to Octopus Lite Outgoing which is 8p per kWh. (You can get more for your export if you choose Intelligent Octopus as your EV tariff) Find out more about Octopus Outgoing tariffs.

You will need your MCS Certificate and DNO response which you should find in your installers pack. Email seg@octopus.energy to find out more.

My experience getting a smart meter with Octopus Energy

There is a waiting list and I have to be honest I did wait a while for mine! Plus after the smart meter installation, I got slightly frustrated that it didn’t go online straight away. After installation, the engineer couldn’t get it to connect. It was resolved quickly by Octopus but it did take a few weeks for the meter readings to be switched over. The engineer submits the old readings and they have to in turn be updated in the central system along with my new meter number. So even after having the meter installed, there is a further wait. Octopus suggests 14 days but in my experience, it was slightly longer. So you have to be prepared for a wait!

Once your meter is sending half-hourly readings you are ready to be switched over to the Octopus Go tariff! Moving across from my Octopus fixed rate was relatively pain-free.

Waiting for a smart meter and getting half-hourly readings was my main concern. I’m a few days in now and delighted I made the switch. If anything changes I can switch back but so far it’s been a great experience.

If you are a new Octopus Energy customer you can join Octopus and you will get a £50 credit. You can then request a smart meter whilst on an interim tariff before requesting the switch to the Octopus Go.  Just remember there will be a wait!

I would be delighted if you used my code to switch to Octopus as I get £50 too! So a massive thank you if you use my link! Click HERE 🥳❤︎

my twitter information

Octopus Go review – Compare Octopus Go v Octopus Agile. 

Compare Octopus tariffs for an EV. 

Octopus Go doesn’t really require that much thought, it’s a plug-and-go solution. There is also an intelligent version of this tariff called Intelligent Go which takes this tariff to another level. When you sign up for Intelligent Octopus Go your EV or your EV charger decides when to charge in order to help balance the grid.

Historically as an example, you would have saved more with Octopus Agile, and you still can but with the Intelligent Octopus Go the minimum amount of off-peak hours you will get is 6 and at the lower rate of 7.5p per kWh. So if you have battery storage and an EV it is very attractive!

Octopus Agile tariff is based on wholesale energy prices which can be affected by, for example, the amount of wind or demand on the national grid. If you can juggle when you use energy bring the price you pay per kWh down. Agile customers can also get paid to charge their EVs on Octopus Agile. The Agile tariff has a cap of £1 per kWh.

It can be quite confusing working out which Octopus tariff is best for your individual charging needs. This app allows you to compare Octopus Energy tariffs to find.  (find this in the app store here)

“This app is excellent at picking through the complexity of Octopus smart tariffs using your actual data. The 49p/month premium option is well worth it too as this gives a better comparison of how shifting use to cheaper periods changes things. The developer is also very helpful. Recommended.”

Just to give you an idea of Octopus Agile prices take a look at these prices.

Octopus Agile tariff price on Tuesday 19th March 2024

This is the December version 1 of the Agile tariff.

Min: 9.5p per kWh (04.30)

Max: 37.8p per kWh (18.30)

Average: 17.2p per kWh.

Av. Excluding Peak times: 14.6p per kWh

Peak Time 1600 – 1900: 34.0p per kWh.

The prices are based on national average prices per kWh.

Thanks to @energystatsuk for the daily figures.

Octopus Agile Tariff Pricing

I have listed the cheapest 4-hour energy slots over the last 7 days. Plus the average daily price per kWh.

Octopus Agile Tariff.Average price kWhCheapest price 30 minutes.
National Average Price of Energy. Energy Price.Energy Price.
Average price per kWh over 7 days.
Tuesday 19/03/2417.2p per kWh9.5p per kWh (04.30)
Monday 18/03/2417.2p per kWh11.9p per kWh (22.30)
Sunday 17/03/2416.4p per kWh11.2p per kWh (02.00)
Saturday 16/03/2416.3p per kWh.12.1p per kWh.(22.30)
Friday 15/03/2414.9p per kWh8.7p per kWh (01.30)
Thursday 14/03/2415.1p per kWh6.1p per kWh.(22.30)
Wednesday 13/03/2415.3p per kWh8.6p per kWh.(01.30)

This is a quote for the Octopus Go tariff from the 19th March 2024. It may vary depending on your geographical location in the UK.

 

information on octopus jucice

EV TIPS

Tip:  Before opting for the Octopus GO tariff you should weigh up if you could save even more money by getting creative with the Intelligent Octopus tariff. This is the tariff I am on. You can read my experience switching to the Intelligent tariff in my recent blog.

 

ripple energy referral code.