E.ON EV Charger & Next Drive Review: Any Good?
E.ON’s EV offering is really a tariff (Next Drive) plus a bundled charger. We tested both — and the honest verdict is a great tariff, an average charger, and one thing worth knowing before you buy.
The short verdict
E.ON’s EV offering is a genuinely excellent tariff paired with an unremarkable charger — and you don’t need the charger to get the tariff. What most people call the “E.ON EV charger” is really the Next Drive tariff (plus a Vestel-made charger E.ON supplies on bundled deals). The tariff is the star: Next Drive Smart offers ~6.9p/kWh off-peak (midnight–6am, whole home) and — its standout — the lowest peak rate of any major smart EV tariff (~27.8p vs Octopus’s ~33.7p), saving daytime users extra. Next Drive Fixed (~8.5–9p) works with any car, any charger, no smart charger needed.
The charger, though, is just OK — a competent rebadged Vestel unit, not a Zappi. The crucial point: you don’t need E.ON’s charger to get Next Drive — the tariff works with any schedulable charger. So the smart move is to pick a proper charger and put it on the E.ON tariff. Full review, rates, the Octopus comparison and our score below. Tariff: 4/5; charger: 3.5/5.
What this review covers
What E.ON’s EV offering actually is
First, the clarification that shapes everything: when people search for the “E.ON EV charger,” what they’re really looking at is E.ON Next’s EV tariff — Next Drive — with an optional charger bundled in. E.ON isn’t a charger manufacturer; it’s an energy supplier offering cheap overnight EV electricity, and on some deals it will also supply and install a home charger (made by Vestel, a large third-party manufacturer). So this review has two parts: the tariff (the main event, and genuinely strong) and the charger (a secondary, unremarkable add-on). This is similar to the Hive and British Gas EV propositions — utility-brand EV offerings built around a tariff rather than standout hardware. Understanding that split is the key to getting the best from E.ON: the tariff is worth having; the charger is optional.
The Next Drive tariffs & rates
| Tariff | Off-peak | Peak | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Next Drive Smart | ~6.9p (12am–6am) | ~27.8p (lowest) | Daytime users, HP homes |
| Next Drive Fixed | ~8.5–9p | ~26–31p | Any car/charger, simple |
E.ON offers two EV tariffs, both 12-month fixed with no exit fees, both needing a SMETS2 smart meter. Next Drive Smart gives ~6.9p/kWh off-peak (midnight–6am, applied to your whole home, not just the car) via smart-dispatch scheduling — and its standout feature is the lowest peak rate of any major smart EV tariff (~27.8p/kWh), which saves money on all your daytime electricity, not just charging. Next Drive Fixed has a slightly higher off-peak (~8.5–9p) but the big advantage of working with any car and any charger — no smart charger required (just set a timer). Both save the average EV driver ~£435–£509 a year vs the price cap; a typical 40kWh charge costs about £2.60–£3 overnight. (Rates moved between ~6.5p and 8.5p through 2026 — check the current figure before switching.)
The E.ON (Vestel) charger
Now the charger — and here we’re more measured. E.ON’s bundled home charger is a 7kW unit made by Vestel, a large and reputable third-party manufacturer, rebadged for E.ON. It’s a perfectly competent charger — it does the job, schedules for the off-peak window, and comes professionally installed as part of a convenient one-provider package. But it’s unremarkable: it doesn’t have the polished app, the true solar-surplus diversion, or the design credentials of a myenergi Zappi, Hypervolt or Andersen. If your priority is a slick, feature-rich or solar-integrating charger, the E.ON unit isn’t it. If you just want a functional charger installed with minimal fuss alongside your tariff, it’s fine. It’s the definition of “does the job” — not a reason to choose E.ON, and not a reason to avoid it either.
The key point: you don’t need E.ON’s charger
This is the single most useful takeaway from the whole review. You do not need to take E.ON’s Vestel charger to get the Next Drive tariff. The tariff works with any home charger that can schedule charging into the off-peak window — a Zappi, Hypervolt, Ohme, Wallbox, anything modern and smart. And with Next Drive Fixed, you don’t even need a smart charger — just set a timer. So the optimal play is simple: choose the best charger for your needs (a solar-diverting Zappi if you have panels, say) and put it on the E.ON Next Drive tariff. You get E.ON’s excellent rates and a superior charger. Don’t let the bundled Vestel unit be the deciding factor either way — judge the tariff on its (strong) merits, and pick your hardware separately.
E.ON Next Drive vs Intelligent Octopus Go
The natural comparison, since these are the two best EV tariffs going — and it’s genuinely close. Intelligent Octopus Go (IOG) offers ~7p off-peak and is smart-dispatch: it dynamically extends your cheap window beyond the core hours and optimises charging automatically — brilliant for pure overnight EV charging and the most hands-off option. E.ON Next Drive Smart matches IOG on the off-peak rate (~6.9–8p) but wins decisively on the peak rate (~27.8p vs Octopus’s ~33.7p) — so for all the electricity you use during the day, E.ON is meaningfully cheaper. The honest split:
- Choose Intelligent Octopus Go if you want the cheapest, most automated overnight charging and use little daytime electricity.
- Choose E.ON Next Drive Smart if your household also uses lots of daytime power — home workers, families at home, or homes with a heat pump — because the lower peak rate saves more overall.
For many daytime-heavy households, E.ON edges it; for a pure overnight charger, Octopus’s dynamic scheduling has the edge. Both are excellent — it comes down to your usage pattern.
Our verdict
Frequently asked questions
Is the E.ON EV charger and Next Drive tariff any good?
The tariff is excellent, the charger is average. Next Drive Smart offers ~6.9p/kWh off-peak plus the lowest peak rate of any major smart tariff (~27.8p) — great for daytime-heavy homes. The bundled Vestel charger is competent but unremarkable (no match for a Zappi). Crucially, you don’t need E.ON’s charger to get the tariff.
How cheap is E.ON Next Drive?
Very — ~6.9p/kWh off-peak (12am–6am, whole home) on Next Drive Smart, saving ~£435–£509/yr vs the price cap. A 40kWh charge costs ~£2.60–£3 overnight. Next Drive Fixed is ~8.5–9p but works with any car/charger. Both need a SMETS2 smart meter. (Rates moved 6.5–8.5p through 2026 — check current.)
Do I need E.ON’s charger to get the tariff?
No — the Next Drive tariff works with any charger that can schedule to the off-peak window (Zappi, Hypervolt, Ohme, etc), and Next Drive Fixed needs no smart charger at all (just a timer). The smart move: choose the best charger for your needs and put it on the E.ON tariff. Don’t let the bundled Vestel unit decide it.
E.ON Next Drive vs Intelligent Octopus Go?
Close. IOG (~7p) is smart-dispatch — best for pure, automated overnight charging. E.ON Next Drive Smart matches the off-peak rate but has a much lower peak rate (~27.8p vs ~33.7p) — so it wins if you use lots of daytime electricity (home workers, heat-pump homes). Pick by your daytime usage.
What charger does E.ON supply?
A 7kW unit made by Vestel (a large third-party manufacturer), rebadged for E.ON and offered on bundled install deals. It’s competent and does the job, but lacks the app polish, solar diversion and features of a Zappi or Hypervolt. Fine for one-provider convenience; not a reason to choose E.ON over its tariff merits.
Does E.ON Next Drive work with solar?
The tariff itself is separate from solar, but pairs well: use cheap off-peak power overnight and your own solar by day. For true solar-surplus charging, though, you need a solar-diverting charger like a Zappi (not E.ON’s Vestel unit) — another reason to pick your own charger and put it on the E.ON tariff. E.ON’s separate SEG export tariff pays for solar you export.
An excellent tariff, an average charger — take the tariff
The bottom line: E.ON Next Drive is one of the best EV tariffs on the market — off-peak from 6.9p and, uniquely, the lowest peak rate of any major smart tariff, which makes it the pick for daytime-heavy and heat-pump households. The bundled Vestel charger is merely fine. The winning move: take the E.ON tariff, but pair it with a proper charger of your choice (like a Zappi) rather than the bundled unit. Judged as a tariff it’s a 4.5; the charger drags the combined score to a still-strong 4/5.
Get a proper charger + solar quote →The verdict
E.ON’s EV proposition is a case of “great tariff, average charger.” The Next Drive and Next Drive Smart tariffs are genuinely among the best going — cheap overnight rates from 6.9p, and the lowest peak rate of any major smart EV tariff, which makes E.ON the standout choice for households that use plenty of electricity during the day, or have a heat pump. The bundled Vestel charger is competent but unremarkable — fine if you want everything from one provider, but no match for a Zappi or Hypervolt on features.
So the smart approach is clear: take the E.ON Next Drive tariff on its strong merits, but choose your charger separately — you don’t need E.ON’s, and the tariff works with any schedulable unit. Ideally, pair it with a charger that suits your home (a solar-diverting Zappi if you have panels), so your EV runs on cheap off-peak power and your own solar. If you’d like help choosing a proper home charger — ideally with solar so you charge from sunshine too — a couple of free, no-obligation quotes from MCS-certified installers will show you the options.
Important
Going Solar UK is an independent introduction service, not affiliated with E.ON or Vestel. This review reflects our honest editorial opinion based on publicly available tariff rates, specifications and features as of September 2026: EV tariff rates change frequently (E.ON’s off-peak rate moved several times through 2026), so always confirm the current rates and terms directly with E.ON Next before switching. Tariff savings depend on your usage, mileage and region. We have no commercial relationship with E.ON.
We may receive a commission when we introduce you to an installer, at no cost to you. Any contract for work is directly between you and the installer.