Can you have a smart EV tariff without a smart meter?
A guide covering what electric car energy tariffs are and how they work, what smart meters are, and what smart charging actually means.
02 Jan 2026
4 min read
Summary
Electric vehicle (EV) tariffs are special dual-rate tariffs designed to benefit EV drivers. They typically offer cheaper electricity overnight during off-peak hours to encourage charging during periods of low demand.
To be able to get on an EV tariff, you must have a suitable smart meter installed at your home and a suitable home charging system that offers smart charging features.
What is smart charging?
Smart charging is a catch-all buzzword that can mean many things. But in its simplest form, an electric car home charger is considered “smart” when it’s more than just a plug socket. For example, a basic charging cable that plugs into a standard 3-pin UK plug socket is unlikely to be smart as it’s just a charging cable.
Most modern dedicated home charging systems, by comparison, come with a host of additional smart features. This means the charger does more than simply charge the EV, but also monitor energy usage, allow for charge scheduling, remote locking, and so on.
Tip: Smart charging also encompasses a range of more complex features designed to connect electric cars, their chargers, and the energy grid together and future proof the UK’s energy infrastructure. You can find out more about smart charging in our guide.
What is an EV energy tariff?
Some energy suppliers in the UK offer exclusive tariffs designed for electric car drivers. Whilst the nuances between them may be different, they fundamentally work in one of two ways:
- Dual-rate tariff
The most common tariff type, offering cheaper energy prices during off-peak hours – typically overnight. This makes it most cost-effect for drivers to charge their EVs overnight (or run other long-time devices in the house, like a dishwasher or washing machine) for significantly less cost. A primary advantage to these tariffs is you don’t have to own an EV or charger to be on it.
- Add-on tariffs
These work by effectively prioritising electric cars, applying a cheaper rate when you charge your EV. However, the cheaper rate only applies to the car; all other energy used in your home will still be charged at your tariff’s standard rate. The advantage, however, is the cheaper EV charging rate applies at any time, rather than limiting you to charging overnight. That said, you will need to have a compatible electric car and home charger to be able to get this kind of tariff.
What is a smart meter?
The above energy tariffs can only work if your energy supplier can track your energy usage throughout the day and implement different rates depending on the time of day or when the EV is plugged in. This, fundamentally, is why you need a smart meter, as they’re capable of doing this.
Any type of energy meter, whether it’s smart or not, is a device installed in a house that monitors energy usage. Some older properties may have separate meters for gas and electricity, whilst more modern homes combine them into one device.
However, the key difference is that smart meters send the readings automatically to the energy supplier, whereas with a traditional meter you have to manually log it, either over the phone, on a website, or through an associated app. Smart meters also have digital displays which show you real-time information on your energy usage and tariff prices.
The advantage of all this is it makes your energy readings much more accurate, and avoids estimations which may cost you more money than they should. They also allow you to access a wider range of energy tariffs, some of which may offer rewards for being on them, like dual-rate EV tariffs.
Network operators also benefit from smart meters being in homes because they can use the data to make more accurate predictions for peaks in demand and, in turn, when and how often they might need to turn on extra generators to cope.
So, do you need a smart meter?
The short answer is yes: whether you drive an EV or not, having a smart meter is beneficial because it gives you a much greater range of tariffs to choose from, which could save you money in the long run.
They’re especially important for electric car drivers, because without one, you won’t be able to sign up to an energy tariff that makes your charging cheaper. That said, you don’t have to have one if you don’t want one, but the advantages of having a smart meter outweigh any negatives that may come with them.
Tip: If you don't have a smart meter, you’ll be missing out on our Plug & Power Bundle. By signing up, you’ll get our award-winning Solo 3S home charger for just £499 upfront, with the remainder split across an exclusive 2-year fixed low-cost energy tariff supplied by EDF.