CTEK calls for off-peak tariffs to cut UK public charging costs

Chargepoint manufacturer CTEK is calling for mandatory off-peak public charging tariffs and targeted support for drivers without home chargers, ahead of a UK Government review expected to report this autumn.

The proposals, published by Electrical Times on 7 September 2026, also include reducing operators’ electricity-related costs, expanding public AC charging and encouraging greater competition at motorway services. They are industry recommendations, not announced changes to charging prices or drivers’ entitlements.

For employees and employers planning a switch to electric vehicles, the central issue is whether drivers who depend on public infrastructure can access more affordable charging.

Why costs matter

According to Electrical Times, public charging prices have risen by 38 per cent since 2021. Its report says the Government’s review will consider measures including regulation, public funding, wider policy interventions, market-based trading schemes and dynamic pricing.

CTEK’s Stefan Gabrielsson also cited EVA England research indicating that 75 per cent of drivers view public charging costs as the biggest hurdle to driving electric. That finding is reported through CTEK’s comments in Electrical Times, rather than a separately supplied research publication.

The concern is particularly relevant to people who cannot install a home charger. Their options depend on the public infrastructure available where they live, work and travel, making the price of those services an important part of the decision to switch.

Off-peak tariffs proposed

CTEK wants every public chargepoint operator to offer dynamic pricing, including cheaper overnight tariffs. The proposal would make time-based pricing a requirement rather than leaving it entirely to operators’ discretion.

However, the source gives no proposed tariff levels or estimate of what an individual driver could save. Cheaper overnight charging would also need to fit a driver’s parking arrangements and schedule to be useful.

Alongside this, CTEK proposes reducing additional costs paid by operators when supplying electricity, including standing charges and policy levies. It says those reductions should be passed through to the per-kWh prices drivers pay.

That distinction matters: the recommendation is not simply to reduce operators’ bills, but to ensure drivers receive the benefit.

Support without home charging

Several recommendations would direct help towards people who rely on public charging, rather than applying the same discount to every user.

CTEK suggests a Government-backed universal charging and payment app offering discounts to drivers certified as having no access to a home charger. The proposal itself acknowledges that implementation would likely be challenging.

Other suggestions include Government-funded, tiered discounts for those who charge most frequently on public networks, and subsidies for public charging subscription services.

These ideas leave significant practical questions unanswered. The report does not specify eligibility checks, funding levels or how discounts would work across different operators. Drivers should therefore treat them as proposals for the review, not support they can currently claim.

More AC charging

CTEK also recommends prioritising three-phase public AC charging capable of delivering up to 22kW. Its argument is that expanding this infrastructure could provide access to cheaper energy.

The manufacturer wants elements of the uptime rules for DC chargers extended to AC equipment, with stronger incentives for maintenance, servicing and repair or replacement. The aim is to make lower-cost AC charging more consistently available.

For faster-road journeys, CTEK calls for greater choice between operators at motorway and trunk road service areas to encourage price competition.

Its wider funding proposal is to end the fuel duty freeze on petrol and diesel and use the revenue to subsidise public charging. Again, this is CTEK’s recommendation, not a Government commitment reported in the article.

VAT remains separate

Electrical Times reports that cutting VAT on electricity supplied at public chargers is specifically excluded from the review. It describes the current rates as 20 per cent for public charging and 5 per cent for domestic electricity.

That makes the scope of the review important: examining public charging costs does not, by itself, mean the VAT difference will be removed. CTEK’s proposals focus on other ways to reduce the amount drivers pay.

Planning for employers

For employers, the immediate lesson is to assess charging access before making assumptions about EV running costs. A driver dependent on public chargers should not be assessed using a home-charging budget.

HR and people teams can make charging access part of employee discussions, while fleet and procurement teams can consider the public networks drivers actually use. Where employees charge for work journeys, arrangements for business mileage reimbursement also deserve attention.

Until the review reports and any measures are confirmed, decisions should use available tariffs and existing arrangements, rather than anticipated discounts.