Intelligent Octopus Go

Intelligent Octopus Go is Octopus's smart EV tariff for households with a compatible car or charger. It gives your home a guaranteed off-peak window every night, then lets Octopus schedule your EV charging around cheaper and greener periods. It can be excellent for the right household, but it is no longer just a simple promise of unlimited cheap smart charging.

How it works

You set your preferences in the Octopus app, such as the charge level you want and the time you need the car ready. Octopus then creates a smart charging schedule. Your home gets the guaranteed 23:30 to 05:30 off-peak window every night, and any additional smart charging slots outside that window also put the whole home on the discounted rate while they are active.

The important 2026 caveat is the Charge Cap. Octopus says the cheap smart-charging allowance is up to six hours in each midday-to-midday period. If the car needs more than that to hit your target, the extra charging can be billed at the higher rate, even if part of it happens during the overnight window. Bump charging is also a convenience choice rather than a cheap-rate guarantee. If you plug in regularly and only need normal top-ups, that may make little difference. If you often arrive home almost empty, it is worth checking the app schedule rather than assuming every charging slot is cheap.

Octopus explains the current Charge Cap rules on its Intelligent Octopus Go Charge Cap update. For current tariff prices and eligibility, use the live Intelligent Octopus Go tariff page because rates and compatible devices can vary.

For billing disputes, keep the Octopus app, smart-meter readings and bill data separate from charger or vehicle screenshots. The smart-tariff terms say Octopus needs compatible half-hourly meter readings for smart tariffs and cannot use third-party app data as the billing record, even when those screenshots are useful evidence for explaining what happened.

What do you need?

This is where it gets more restrictive than regular Go. You need a compatible EV or charger that Octopus can control through the app, plus a communicating smart meter at the property. Octopus's compatibility flow can change as new vehicles and chargers are added, so check the live page before buying hardware or assuming an older forum list still applies.

• A compatible smart charger, such as Ohme, Hypervolt, Indra, Zappi, Wallbox or Andersen, that Octopus can control directly
• Or a car with built-in smart charging that Octopus integrates with, including Tesla, many Volkswagen Group EVs, BMW and several others

If your setup is not listed, regular Go may still work as the simpler EV tariff because it uses a fixed overnight timer window rather than app-controlled smart charging. That can be a cleaner option for a home where the car, charger, solar inverter, battery and Octopus app would otherwise all try to schedule the same session.

How does it compare to regular Go?

The off-peak rate is similar (8.0p/kWh), and the guaranteed home window is longer. Regular Go is a fixed 00:30 to 05:30 window. Intelligent Go is 23:30 to 05:30 for the home, with smart EV slots that can sometimes fall outside that window.

That makes Intelligent Go stronger when you have a compatible setup and can let Octopus schedule the car. Regular Go can still be the calmer choice if your car or charger is not supported, if you dislike app-controlled charging or if your EV use is too low to justify the extra complexity.

Is it annoying to let Octopus control your charging?

It depends on how you charge. For routine top-ups, the appeal is that you plug in, set a target and let the app schedule the session. The car should be ready when requested, and the home still has the fixed 23:30 to 05:30 cheap window.

The trade-off is that you need to trust the schedule and read the app when a charge is large. Charge Cap gives you a clearer choice between protecting the cheapest six smart-charging hours and prioritising the target charge. If that feels like too much admin, regular Go's fixed window may be easier to live with.

Who is it for?

• EV owners with compatible equipment. Check the live Octopus compatibility flow before assuming your car or charger will work.
• Households that can plug in regularly. Smaller, frequent top-ups are less likely to run beyond the six-hour smart-charging allowance.
• People who want the home window too. The fixed 23:30 to 05:30 window can help with other household loads, not just the car.

Bottom line

If you qualify for Intelligent Go, it is still one of the strongest Octopus options for many home-charging EV drivers. Treat it as a smart tariff with a guaranteed home window, a six-hour smart-charging allowance and app-state details worth checking, not as a blanket promise that every long charging session will be cheap. Compare it with regular Go if you want simpler overnight charging or if your equipment is not supported.