The UK’s largest energy supplier, Octopus, has negotiated up to 30% off the cost of public charging for fleets using some of the country’s largest networks, which it hopes will address one of the biggest challenges of switching to electric cars and vans.
FleetBoost is offered as a monthly per-driver subscription through Octopus Fleet, a platform developed with Rightcharge that enables drivers to find and pay for public charging, automates the process of claiming back the cost of plugging in at home and gives fleet managers an overview of what they’re spending.
Discounts are already available at MFG EV Power, Ionity and Be.EV chargers, and Octopus is hoping to bring other networks on board over the coming months.
That combined network already puts 99% of the UK within 14 miles of their nearest FleetBoost charging site. Cheaper units are highlighted in the app to help drivers find them more easily.
A spokesperson told Autocar that fleets offer a “reliable” throughput of vehicles, keeping chargers busy, which helped Octopus to negotiate cheaper rates. The company expects the membership cost to be covered by just two charging sessions.
Public charging costs have become a headache for fleet operators. A recent Rightcharge report claimed public charging accounted for 27% of fleets’ total sessions but 57% of their outlay on electricity in 2025.
The most expensive networks can cost 93p per kWh of electricity, compared with less than 7p if drivers plug in at home on a tariff with low overnight rates.
Industry body ChargeUK, which represents the UK’s charging point operators, has blamed the price gap on high energy prices and standing charges, as well as the higher, 20% VAT rate applied to public chargers, compared with 5% for home energy.
For a Tesla Model Y, this means running costs can vary between 1.5p and 21p per mile, depending on where it is charged. The latest HM Revenue & Customs mileage rates suggest 16p per mile for an equivalent diesel car, or 17p for a petrol.
Matt Davies, founder of Octopus Fleet, said: “We know that switching a fleet to electric is about much more than putting an EV on the road. Businesses need charging to be affordable, reliable and easy for drivers to use and we’re tackling this all in one go.
“By bringing together some of the UK's biggest charging brands, we can help accelerate the transition to commercial EVs and slash the cost of public charging for businesses.”
