Upcoming changes to Intelligent Octopus Go
Intelligent Octopus Go has always offered super-cheap power for your whole home every night and smart charging to let you charge cleaner for less.
To keep our off-peak rates as low as possible, in 2026 we will be updating Intelligent Octopus Go to automatically apply the 6 hour limit for super-cheap smart-charging. More info below.
Update 23rd December:
Good to know: Intelligent Octopus Go variable prices won’t change on January 1st.
Right now we’re working out the best way to implement the new charging limit (recently announced, more about it below) to ensure you always get the most out of your six super-cheap hours and help support the energy grid as much as possible. Catch up on our CEO Greg’s vlog.
With those changes on the way, we've decided not to pass on any price increases to Intelligent Octopus Go variable customers (including EV Saver) when the price cap comes in on January 1st. So it’s good news: your prices are staying put for now.
As you’re on the variable version of Intelligent Octopus Go, prices could change in the future, but as always we’ll let you know about any changes with plenty of notice. Don’t forget you can fix your Intelligent Octopus Go prices for 12 months with no exit fees.
We’ll be back in touch in January with an update on the new 6 hour limit.
Thank you for your helpful feedback and ideas as we make Intelligent charging better for all. And thanks for trusting us to power your wheels.
Love and power,
Alex, Rebecca & the Octopus team
Intelligent Octopus Go has always offered super-cheap power for your whole home every night and smart charging to let you charge cleaner for less.
To keep our off-peak rates as low as possible, in 2026 we will be updating Intelligent Octopus Go to automatically apply the 6 hour limit for super-cheap smart-charging effective from end of January.
Around 80% of Intelligent Octopus Go charging sessions are already using less than the 6 hours mentioned in our terms – which is good, because scheduling more inevitably drives up the cost as we're charging when wholesale costs and grid stress are higher.
Here’s how it’ll work:
- Intelligent Octopus Go customers will continue to receive 6 hours of off-peak electricity for your whole home between 11:30pm and 5:30am. Guaranteed, reliable, schedule-friendly off-peak savings.
- Plus up to 6 hours of super-cheap smart charging every 24 hours – these may be during your home’s off-peak hours (11:30pm-5:30am), outside those times, or a mix of both.
- Whenever the 6 hours smart charging is scheduled outside your off-peak window, the electricity for your whole home will also be at the discounted rates
- If we need to schedule more than 6 hours to reach your target charge, only the first 6 hours of charging will be at the discounted rate – extra half-hours will be charged at your Bump rate (even if they’re scheduled during the off-peak window).
Frequently Asked Questions
When are the changes effective from?
They'll be effective by the end of January. We’ll email you closer to the date and will make sure you have plenty of notice.
I’m not sure I understand. Can you share some examples of how it works?
Imagine you need a 5-hour charge (that’s what most people need).
Scenario 1: we schedule all of the 5 hours outside of the off-peak period (eg. between 2:00-4:00pm, and between 8:00pm-11:00pm)
- You get off-peak rates for your home and for your car between 2:00-4:00pm and between 8:00pm-11:00pm
- You also get off-peak rates for your home between 11:30pm and 5:30am (you always do)
Scenario 2: we schedule some of the 5 hours outside of the off-peak period (eg. between 8:00pm-11:00pm) and some during the off-peak period (between 12:00am-2:00am)
- You get off-peak rates for your home and for your car between 8:00pm-11:00pm and between 12:00am-2:00am.
- You also get off-peak rates for your home between 11:30pm and 5:30am (you always do)
Scenario 3: we schedule all of the 5 hours during the off-peak period (eg. between 12:00am-5:00am)
- You get off-peak rates for your home and for your car between 12:00am-5:00am
- You also get off-peak rate for your home between 11:30pm-12am and 5am-5:30am, as always
What if the charging session lasts more than 6 hours, for example 7 hours?
That’s unusual, but if that’s the case, the first 6 hours of smart charging will be at off-peak, and the last one billed at peak rate regardless of what time of the day it is scheduled.
Will I be notified if my charging is going to exceed the 6 hour limit? Will Octopus force my car to stop charging if it exceeds 6 hours?
80% of charging sessions last 6 hours or less. You will continue to see your charging schedule after you plug in. If more than 6 hours are scheduled, you can always reduce your charge target in your Octopus app. Shortly, we’ll introduce an option to either limit your smart charging to 6 off-peak hours or to prioritise reaching the charger target of your vehicle.
What changes will I need to make in my apps?
No changes for now. Over time we’ll add additional settings to the app to help you manage your charging. We’ll be in touch closer to the release with much more detail and how to set this up.
What happens if you only charge my EV for 15 minutes out of a 30 minute slot? Would that count as 15 minutes of charging or 30 minutes?
The limit will be 6 hours of total charging, regardless of the half-hourly sessions the charging takes place over.
How are you going to calculate the difference between household usage vs EV charging?
As we control your smart device we know how much energy your charger or EV has consumed. We can then subtract this from your household consumption using your smart meter reads.
I have two EVs, how will this work with my setup?
There’ll be no changes to how you use Intelligent Octopus Go. You'll get 6 hours of off-peak charging per household, regardless of the number of EVs.
As you’ll need lots of off-peak hours to keep your vehicles charged up, we recommend plugging in your EV’s daily and as early as possible. This way, you'll be helping to support the grid by letting us smart charge your vehicles at the best possible times.
Does it make a difference if I’m integrated via my EV as opposed to my charger?
No, you’ll still be able to integrate with either your EV or charger.
I’m integrated via an Ohme charger, how will this work with Ohme controlling my scheduling?
It works in the same way. If you notice any slow charging with your Ohme charger, this Ohme FAQ can help you solve this problem.
How can Octopus guarantee I’ll only be charged off-peak rates if they control my charging?
If you charge for less than 6 hours, you’ll always be charged off-peak rates. That’s why it’s so important you plug in daily. If your charging session lasts longer than 6 hours, then any usage after 6 hours will be billed at peak rate.
Published on 4th December 2025 by:
Hey I'm Constantine, welcome to Octopus Energy!
×Close window