Data reveals fleets poised for major charging savings in 2026

The analysis – drawn from over 1,000 megawatts of energy delivered through tens of thousands of real-world charging sessions in 2025 – provides one of the most detailed insights yet into how and where fleets are powering their electric vehicles.

Public charging: small share of sessions, big share of spend

A central finding from the report is the stark cost gap between public and home charging. Although public chargers accounted for just 27% of all fleet charging sessions, they made up 57% of total public charging spend.

The price discrepancy is equally striking. In 2025, fleets paid an average of 81p/kWh for public charging – more than three times the average 25p/kWh cost of home charging. For businesses that rely heavily on the public network, this premium significantly inflates operating costs.

Charging smarter: the route to lower costs and lower carbon

Rightcharge’s report underscores that cost savings and carbon reductions go hand-in-hand for electric fleets. The company identifies “Smart Charging” – timing charge sessions when electricity is cheaper and cleaner – as a key lever.

While most home charging already happens off-peak (77% of sessions), the same can be said for less than half of public charging (43%). The report shows that shifting more public charging to off-peak periods can cut charging-related emissions by up to one-third.

The financial gains are substantial as well. Fleet drivers who switch to dedicated EV tariffs can access rates as low as 6–7p/kWh, translating into annual savings of up to £1,300 per driver.

Introducing the ‘Blended Unit Rate’: a new industry benchmark

To help fleets better understand and manage overall charging costs, Rightcharge is introducing the Blended Unit Rate – a new metric the company expects to become the industry’s gold standard in 2026. Rather than focusing on occasional high public-charging costs, the Blended Unit Rate reflects the average cost across all charging sessions.

In 2025, the blended rate across the Rightcharge platform averaged 40p/kWh, equal to around 11p per mile. This makes electric vehicles substantially cheaper to fuel than diesel (15p per mile) or petrol (17p per mile), strengthening the economic case for fleet electrification.

“Our latest data shows a big difference in charging costs across the UK fleets. We’ve published this report to give fleet managers the benchmarks that they need to see the true value of electric vehicles. We’re also excited to announce that we’ll be sharing snapshots from our platform data throughout the year.”