EV running costs · Price change
ESB price rise: is public EV charging in Northern Ireland now dearer than petrol?
ESB, the biggest public charging network in Northern Ireland, put its prices up on 2 November, the second rise since July. Tap a card on a rapid charger and you now pay 85p a kWh. So what does a mile cost now, and how do you avoid paying it?
Last updated: · prices checked 5 Nov 2026
The short version: at the new prices, charging on ESB's public network costs about 19p to 24p a mile. A typical petrol car costs about 17p a mile in Northern Ireland. Charging at home overnight costs about 5p a mile. So if you can charge at home, you're still far ahead. If you rely on ESB chargers, an EV now costs more per mile than petrol.
Work out your own cost per mile →
What changed on 2 November
ESB raised every Northern Ireland price band. Contactless rapid (DC) charging went from 75p to 85p a kWh, and contactless AC from 61p to 72p, according to the Irish News.
- Contactless (tap a card): 72p AC, 85p DC.
- Pay-as-you-go in the app: 70p AC, 83p DC.
- Membership, £4.99 a month: 67p AC, 79p DC.
All include 20% VAT, which every UK public charger pays. ESB's overstay fees (50p a minute after 45 minutes on rapid chargers) haven't changed.
Cost per mile: public, home and petrol
We assume an EV doing 3.5 miles per kWh (less in winter) and a petrol car doing 45 mpg, the same as our other guides.
- Home, night rate (about 17.2p–17.8p a kWh): about 5p a mile.
- Home, Power NI standard rate (34.15p): about 10p a mile.
- Petrol at 165.2p a litre: about 17p a mile.
- ESB AC, contactless (72p): about 21p a mile.
- ESB rapid, contactless (85p): about 24p a mile.
The tipping point is about 58p a kWh. Above that, a 3.5 mi/kWh EV costs more per mile than a 45 mpg petrol car at today's Northern Ireland pump price. Every ESB price band is now above it.
Over 8,000 miles a year, that's roughly £400 charging at home overnight, £1,340 in petrol, or £1,940 if every mile came from ESB rapid chargers by contactless.
See the numbers
| Option | Price incl. VAT | Price excl. VAT | Per mile incl. VAT | 8,000 miles a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Share Energy Eco 7, night rate | 17.19p/kWh | 16.37p | 4.9p | £393 |
| Power NI EV Nightshift, night rate (monthly DD, online billing) | 17.79p/kWh | 16.94p | 5.1p | £407 |
| Power NI EV Anytime (monthly DD, online billing) | 30.53p/kWh | 29.07p | 8.7p | £698 |
| Power NI standard 24-hour rate | 34.15p/kWh | 32.52p | 9.8p | £781 |
| Petrol, NI average (29 Oct 2026) | 165.2p/litre | 137.7p | 16.7p | £1,335 |
| Diesel, NI average (29 Oct 2026) | 190.3p/litre | 158.6p | 17.3p | £1,384 |
| ESB AC, membership | 67p/kWh | 55.8p | 19.1p | £1,531 + £60 fee |
| ESB AC, pay-as-you-go | 70p/kWh | 58.3p | 20.0p | £1,600 |
| ESB AC, contactless | 72p/kWh | 60.0p | 20.6p | £1,646 |
| ESB DC, membership | 79p/kWh | 65.8p | 22.6p | £1,806 + £60 fee |
| ESB DC, pay-as-you-go | 83p/kWh | 69.2p | 23.7p | £1,897 |
| ESB DC, contactless | 85p/kWh | 70.8p | 24.3p | £1,943 |
Per mile = price ÷ 3.5 miles per kWh for EVs; for petrol and diesel, price × 4.546 litres per gallon ÷ mpg. Home rates include 5% VAT and public charging and road fuel 20%. Home figures leave out standing charges, which you pay anyway. Each 8,000-mile figure assumes every mile is at that one price. Your car's real efficiency matters a lot: at 3 mi/kWh, ESB rapid contactless is about 28p a mile.
How to pay less
- Charge at home on a night rate if you can. Power NI's EV Nightshift charges 17.79p from 1am to 8am in winter (2am to 9am in summer) and needs a day/night meter. Economy 7 night rates from other suppliers are similar; the Consumer Council's comparison table lists them all.
- Don't tap a card if you charge often. Pay-as-you-go in the ESB app is 2p a kWh cheaper than contactless. Membership saves another 3p–4p, but the £4.99 fee only pays off above about 125 kWh a month on rapid chargers (roughly 440 miles) or about 166 kWh on AC.
- Use AC when you have time. ESB's AC rates are 12p–13p a kWh lower than its rapid rates.
- Watch for Charge Smart. ESB says it will launch a Charge Smart plan with cheaper off-peak public charging in Northern Ireland on 25 November. NI prices weren't published when we checked. In the Republic, off-peak (9pm–7am) rates are €0.52 (AC) and €0.66 (DC) a kWh for €6.99 a month.
- Check the price on the charger or in the app before you plug in. ESB isn't the only network, and prices change.
Why home charging costs more in Northern Ireland than in Great Britain
Northern Ireland isn't covered by Ofgem's price cap. Power NI's standard rate is set through a review by the Utility Regulator, and it rose 6.2% on 1 July 2026 to 32.52p a kWh before VAT.
VAT is different too. Homes in Great Britain pay 0% VAT on electricity from 1 October 2026 to 30 June 2027. HMRC confirms that Northern Ireland homes still pay 5%.
In the Republic of Ireland, ESB raised prices on the same day: €0.72 (AC) and €0.85 (DC) a kWh by contactless, including 9% VAT.
Prices with and without VAT
Public charge points: 20% VAT anywhere in the UK, so ESB's 85p is 70.8p before VAT and 72p is 60p (HMRC VAT Notice 701/19, checked 5 Nov 2026). Home electricity in Northern Ireland: 5% VAT, so Power NI's 34.15p is 32.52p before VAT. Petrol and diesel: 20% VAT on top of fuel duty, so 165.2p a litre is 137.7p before VAT.
Frequently asked questions
How much does ESB charging cost in Northern Ireland now?
From 2 November 2026, ESB's Northern Ireland prices are 72p a kWh (AC, up to 48 kW) and 85p a kWh (DC, 49 kW and above) by contactless; 70p and 83p pay-as-you-go in the app; and 67p and 79p with the £4.99-a-month membership. All include 20% VAT.
Is public charging in Northern Ireland now dearer than petrol?
At ESB's new prices, yes, for a typical car. An EV doing 3.5 miles per kWh costs about 19p to 24p a mile on ESB chargers. A 45 mpg petrol car costs about 17p a mile at the Northern Ireland average of 165.2p a litre (Consumer Council, 29 October 2026). Public charging only matches petrol at about 58p a kWh.
How much does it cost to charge an EV at home in Northern Ireland?
About 5p a mile on a night rate. Power NI's EV Nightshift night rate is 17.79p a kWh including 5% VAT, and the cheapest Economy 7 night rate in the Consumer Council's table on 4 November 2026 was Share Energy's 17.19p. On Power NI's standard 24-hour rate (34.15p) it's nearer 10p a mile.
Is the ESB membership worth it?
It costs £4.99 a month and saves 4p a kWh on DC and 3p on AC. That pays for itself after about 125 kWh a month on rapid chargers (roughly 440 miles) or about 166 kWh on AC. Below that, pay-as-you-go is cheaper.
Does the 0% VAT on electricity apply in Northern Ireland?
No. The temporary 0% VAT on home electricity from 1 October 2026 to 30 June 2027 applies in Great Britain only. HMRC says Northern Ireland homes still pay 5%. Public charge points pay 20% VAT everywhere in the UK.
What is ESB Charge Smart in Northern Ireland?
A new subscription with cheaper off-peak public charging, due in Northern Ireland from 25 November 2026, ESB says. Northern Ireland prices weren't published when we checked on 5 November. In the Republic it costs €6.99 a month, with off-peak (9pm to 7am) rates of €0.52 (AC) and €0.66 (DC) a kWh.
Related guides
- EV cost per mile vs petrol in the UK
- Public charging: the real cost
- Economy 7 vs smart time-of-use tariffs
- UK EV charging cost index
Sources (checked 5 November 2026 unless stated)
- ESB ecars: Price plans: Northern Ireland and Ireland price plan terms valid from 2 November 2026, VAT rates, Charge Smart (Ireland).
- The Irish News: ESB hike price of public EV charging in Northern Ireland (2 Nov 2026): previous July rates, Charge Smart NI launch on 25 November.
- Power NI: Electric car tariffs (EV Nightshift and EV Anytime) and Power NI: current unit rates.
- Consumer Council: Economy 7 price comparison table (prices for 4 Nov 2026).
- Consumer Council: Fuel Price Checker (NI average on 29 Oct 2026).
- Utility Regulator: regulated tariff increases from 1 July 2026.
- HMRC VAT Notice 701/19: fuel and power (updated 28 Oct 2026).