Tesco stopped offering free electric car charging across its store network on 1 November 2022, replacing it with a paid tariff that applies to every charger regardless of its kW rating1. The change ended a free charging arrangement that had run since 2019, when Tesco, Volkswagen and Pod (previously Pod Point) first rolled out the network across 200 sites1.
The supermarket then raised its charging prices in March 20231. A few years before that increase, drivers paid 28p/kWh to use a 7kW Tesco charger; the rate for the same charger is now 44p/kWh1. Current costs by charger type are:
| Pod Point charger at Tesco | Cost per kWh |
|---|---|
| 7kW fast | 44p/kWh |
| 22kW fast | 49p/kWh |
| 50kW rapid | 62p/kWh |
| 75kW rapid | 69p/kWh |
Tesco has 2,700 EV chargers across 619 stores, with charge points typically found in the car parks of Tesco Superstores and Tesco Extra stores rather than smaller formats such as Tesco Express1. All are Pod chargers, offering speeds of 7kW, 22kW, 50kW and 75kW, and the chargers are open 24 hours1. Tesco states that its earlier free charging initiatives contributed to 86 million miles of free electric driving1.
Payment can be made through the Pod app or website, and contactless payment or an RFID card can be used to start and stop sessions under plug and charge regulations1. Tesco Clubcard holders collect one point for every £1 spent on EV charging1. A general three-hour free parking policy applies at Tesco, with fines for exceeding the limit, though the company says this varies by store1.
Why it matters for households
Public charging at a supermarket was, for a period, a genuinely free top-up for households without a driveway. That route has closed, and the rates now sit alongside other paid public networks, so a household relying on Tesco forecourts for its regular top-ups is paying per kWh rather than charging at home. The gap between the 44p/kWh fast rate and the 69p/kWh rapid rate also means the cost of a session depends heavily on which charger a driver plugs into, not just on how much electricity is drawn.
For a home's energy independence, the practical effect is that a domestic supply and a home charger carry more of the load, with public charging treated as a paid supplement rather than a free one. The difference between domestic electricity rates and public rates is the subject of why public EV charging VAT is higher than home charging, and the wider picture of network access and payment rules is covered in public EV charging. Households weighing a home charger against continued reliance on public points can compare electric vehicle energy tariffs and EV charging bolt-on tariffs, while current public rates are tracked in public charging price data.
What happens next
No further changes to Tesco's charging prices have been reported beyond the March 2023 increase1. The number of Tesco stores with chargers, and the parking time limits applied at individual stores, are not reported as fixed and Tesco advises drivers to check with their local store1.
Sources1 cited
- Tesco EV Charger Guide: How Much, Where & The Perks (2026), wepoweryourcar.com