Octopus Launches Auto-Billing for Company Car Home Charging | Electric Car News

Octopus Energy, the UK’s largest energy supplier, is tackling a key barrier to electric vehicle (EV) fleet adoption – expense reporting – with a new automated invoicing system for home charging. Launched on February 22, 2026, the system aims to simplify reimbursement for employees who charge their company vehicles at home, a practice that’s currently hampered by manual claims and inconsistent mileage rates.

The core of the solution addresses a significant cost disparity. Charging at home is substantially cheaper than using public charging networks. According to Zap-Map data cited by Octopus, the fastest DC public chargers average 76p/kWh, while slower units cost 54p/kWh. In contrast, Octopus offers overnight rates as low as 7p/kWh, benefiting from an Ofgem-capped rate of 27p/kWh. This difference translates to roughly 22p of energy cost per mile for a typical EV averaging 3.5 miles per kWh – comparable to 27mpg in a petrol car.

However, current HMRC (His Majesty’s Revenue & Customs) mileage rates haven’t kept pace with these realities. The advisory electric rates (AERs) are set at 7p per mile for home charging and 14p for public charging, regardless of vehicle size. The 7p/mile rate for home charging is widely considered too generous given current low overnight rates, while the 14p/mile rate for public charging often leaves drivers out of pocket, particularly when using rapid chargers. Employers can adjust these rates, but risk potential tax penalties if they can’t demonstrate the adjusted rates accurately reflect actual costs.

Octopus’s system bypasses this complexity by allowing drivers to designate whether energy used during charging is for business or personal use directly at the charging point. For business use, the cost is automatically credited back to the driver’s account and invoiced to their fleet manager. This eliminates the need for manual expense claims and provides a single, consolidated invoice for the entire fleet. Crucially, drivers aren’t required to be Octopus customers or use Octopus-branded home chargers, but they do need a compatible smart charger capable of accurately reporting energy usage – a requirement for home chargers since 2022.

The new Home Charging Reimbursement Scheme costs £9.50 per driver per month. The technology underpinning this feature was developed in partnership with Rightcharge, which already provides similar fleet charging solutions.

This automated expensing feature is part of a broader “Octopus Fleet” offering launched on February 19, 2026. Octopus describes it as a “one-stop shop” for businesses looking to electrify their fleets, encompassing charging infrastructure, payment solutions, and fleet management tools. The portfolio includes access to the Electroverse network, boasting 1.3 million charging points across 50 countries, as well as Fleet Charging Cards and Business Payments Cards for broader fleet expenses like tolls and meals. Hardware options, such as chargers, rooftop solar, and battery systems, are also available.

Octopus is leveraging its existing competencies in consumer EV charging, built around the Electroverse network and its range of home EV chargers and solar/battery products, to address the distinct needs of commercial fleets. The company aims to provide a “mix-and-match” approach, allowing fleets to tailor a charging system to their specific requirements. This includes the new Fleet Charging Card, alongside the existing ‘one-tap’ Electroverse access.

Beyond the charging infrastructure itself, Octopus Fleet also offers a salary sacrifice scheme for employees purchasing EVs and access to public charging. This holistic approach aims to incentivize EV adoption across the board, from the fleet operator to the individual driver.

The launch of Octopus Fleet follows a partnership announced in November with Monta, a fleet management tool provider. Monta’s Hub fleet management tool is integrated into the Octopus Fleet offering, suggesting a deeper collaboration aimed at streamlining fleet operations. This partnership signals a move towards more integrated solutions in the fleet electrification space, recognizing that simply providing charging infrastructure isn’t enough to overcome the complexities of fleet management.

The automated expensing feature, in particular, addresses a pain point that has long hindered wider EV adoption within businesses. By simplifying reimbursement and providing accurate cost tracking, Octopus is attempting to remove a significant administrative burden and make a compelling financial case for transitioning to electric fleets.