How much is it to charge an electric car at a supermarket?

Question

DelAnderson · Accepted Answer

Charging an electric car at a major UK supermarket typically costs between £0.40 and £0.79 per kWh, with the final price depending on the supermarket brand, the speed of the charger used, and any membership discounts. For a typical 60kWh EV battery, a full charge would range from approximately £24 to £47.40. Rapid and ultra-rapid chargers are generally more expensive per kWh than slower fast chargers.

The network is dominated by a few key retailers, each with different pricing strategies and charger types. Here’s a current breakdown based on available public tariff data:

Supermarket	Charger Types Available	Estimated Cost per kWh (GBP)	Key Notes
ASDA	Rapid, Ultra-Rapid	£0.59 - £0.79	Partners with bp pulse. Pricing is at the higher end for ultra-rapid charging.
Lidl	Fast (7-22kW), Rapid	£0.40 - £0.74	Some locations offer very competitive rates on fast chargers. Rapid charger costs are variable.
Sainsbury's	Ultra-Rapid	£0.75	Primarily focused on faster charging infrastructure via partnerships.
Tesco	Fast, Rapid, Ultra-Rapid	£0.44 - £0.69	Offers the widest variety. Many slower Pod Point fast chargers are free for customers, while rapid chargers have a fee.

Beyond the base rate, your total cost is determined by your car's battery size and state of charge. For example, adding 30kWh of energy at a Tesco rapid charger (costing £0.69/kWh) would cost £20.70. Market data from Zap-Map and charger operator tariffs indicate that supermarket charging, especially fast charging, often undercuts the pricing of dedicated motorway service station networks.

To minimize costs, prioritize using free or low-cost fast chargers (7-22kW) for longer shopping trips. Tesco remains a standout for its network of free Pod Point units. For a quick top-up, supermarket rapid chargers are usually cheaper than equivalent networks like Ionity or Gridserve Electric Highway.

Always check the specific charger's price via its app (like Pod Point, bp pulse, or InstaVolt) before plugging in, as tariffs can change and vary by location. Supermarket charging is not always the absolute cheapest option compared to home overnight rates or some public lamppost chargers, but it offers significant convenience and value, particularly when combined with a weekly shop.

StGraham · Answer

As someone who charges at Tesco every week, here’s my real-world take. I drive a Nissan Leaf. If I’m doing a big shop, I use the free 7kW Pod Point chargers. I park, plug in, and two hours later I’ve added about 80 miles of range for absolutely nothing—it’s brilliant.

When I need a quicker boost, their rapid chargers cost me about 69p per kWh. For my car, that’s around £18 for a 30-minute charge. It’s more expensive, but still cheaper than the services on the motorway. My tip? Always check the Pod Point app to see which chargers at your local store are free and which are paid.

CollinLee · Answer

Let’s talk about the cost difference between charger speeds, because that’s what really affects your bill. At a supermarket, you’ll mainly find two types: ‘fast’ (7-22kW) and ‘rapid/ultra-rapid’ (50kW+).

The fast chargers are the budget option. At Lidl or Tesco, you might pay 40-50p per kWh, or even nothing. They’re slow, perfect for a one-hour shop. The rapid chargers are for speed. They’ll fill most of your battery in 30-40 minutes but cost more—up to 79p per kWh at some ASDA stores.

So, your choice is simple: time versus money. If you have an hour for groceries, use a fast charger. If you’re in a rush and need miles now, be prepared to pay the premium for a rapid unit. The price displayed on the charger or its app is always the final cost per kWh, inclusive of VAT.

ChristianMarie · Answer

I manage a small fleet of electric vehicles for my business, and we use supermarket chargers for opportunistic top-ups. From a cost-efficiency perspective, they are a mixed bag. The free 7kW chargers at Tesco are an obvious win for operational savings when our drivers are scheduled for tasks nearby.

However, for rapid charging, we’ve found supermarket tariffs are mid-market. They average around 65p/kWh, which is better than premium motorway networks (which can be over 70p) but still significantly more than our depot overnight rate of 15p. We instruct drivers to use supermarket rapids only when necessary for route continuity, not as a primary refueling method. The data from our mileage logs shows that relying on them daily would increase our energy costs by over 300% compared to home-base charging.

VonJordan · Answer

Thinking about it as a new EV owner? Don't just look at the pence per kWh. The real value is combining tasks. My weekly ritual is to plug into a free Tesco fast charger, do my grocery shopping for the family, and come back to a car that’s gained 70-80 miles of range. That’s a whole week of school runs and errands covered for free.

When I’ve needed a longer journey, I’ve used the rapid chargers. I paid 75p/kWh at Sainsbury’s recently for an ultra-rapid charge. It added about 180 miles in 35 minutes while I grabbed a coffee. It cost me £22, which felt fair for the convenience and speed compared to petrol. My advice is to use apps like Zap-Map to filter for supermarket locations and see live pricing. You’ll quickly learn which supermarkets in your area offer the best deal for your routine. It turns a chore into a clever way to ‘refuel’ cheaply.