Half-term getaway? Be.EV freezes charging costs as staycation demand surges

• New research finds 34% of UK drivers are holidaying at home

• Be.EV’s new Charging Passes gives EV drivers up to 800 miles of charging for one fixed monthly fee

With October half-term fast approaching, new research suggests UK staycations remain firmly on the agenda, with more than one in three drivers saying they planned to holiday at home this year.

Research commissioned by Be.EV found that 34% of UK drivers planned to take a holiday within the UK, rising to 36% among EV drivers.

The findings come as leading charging network Be.EV launches the UK’s first family of EV Charging Passes, allowing drivers to pay one fixed monthly fee for a set amount of charging across its nationwide network – offering greater certainty over charging costs for motorists planning longer journeys and UK breaks.

With household budgets still under pressure, more families are choosing to holiday in the UK, while a growing number of schools are also moving to two-week October half-terms. Be.EV's new subscription passes could offer significant savings for those planning staycations.

Drivers using the Flexi pass can cut their public charging costs by more than half compared with the UK average ultra-rapid pay-as-you-go rate, while those using the Go pass could save over £600 a year. For frequent drivers, the Go Further pass offers potential annual savings of more than £1,400, helping families keep the cost of electric motoring down throughout the year.

This new subscription model will make it easier than ever for EV-driving families heading away for the holidays to budget for their journey before they leave, rather than having to navigate different peak, off-peak and per-kWh tariffs on the road.

Be.EV’s research, conducted among 1,693 UK drivers, also found a growing appetite for taking electric cars on holiday. Almost one in five drivers (18%) said they planned to use an EV for a UK staycation, rising to more than a third (35%) of existing EV drivers.

Younger motorists were particularly open to the idea, with 31% of 25 to 34-year-olds and 27% of 18 to 24-year-olds saying they planned to use an EV on a UK holiday.

Range anxiety appears to diminish considerably once drivers make the switch to electric. Be.EV’s research reveals that 39% of EV drivers feel confident taking their car on a long road trip, compared with just 12% of non-EV drivers.

EV drivers are also more than twice as likely to believe the UK’s public charging network can support a long journey (37% versus 17%), suggesting that fears about range and charging infrastructure may be greater among those who have yet to experience driving electric.

Be.EV’s new Charging Passes are designed to remove another source of uncertainty for drivers by giving them a clearer idea of what public charging will cost before they set off.

There are three passes available at launch. The Flexi Pass for £13.99 per month that unlocks 39p/kWh whenever and wherever you need to charge, The Go Pass costs £49 a month for a 120kWh allowance – enough for around 400 miles – while the Go Further Pass costs £89 for 250kWh, equivalent to around 800 miles.

Drivers who use their full allowance then move onto Be.EV’s Off-Peak rate of 49p/kWh for the remainder of their billing period.

For motorists who use their entire allowance, the Go Pass is 51% cheaper and the Go Further Pass 57% cheaper than the UK average public ultra-rapid PAYG price of 83p/kWh.

Asif Ghafoor, CEO of Be.EV, said: “Staycations mean many families suddenly find themselves driving hundreds of miles more than they would in an ordinary week, and October half-term is no exception.

“Our research shows there's a real appetite for taking EVs on UK road trips, particularly among people who already drive electric. But drivers still want greater confidence and simplicity when they’re planning a long journey.

“The idea that you should have to work out a different tariff every time you stop to charge is outdated. If you’re heading away for half-term, you should be able to work out what your travel is going to cost before you set off.

“Subscription and allowance-based charging is already becoming the norm in Europe’s most mature EV markets. Drivers want the same simplicity they get from a mobile phone contract: one fee, a set amount of charging and no surprises. That’s what Charging Passes give them.”

Subscription and allowance-based charging is already well established in mature European EV markets such as Denmark, and Be.EV expects the UK to follow a similar trajectory as EV adoption grows.

The Charging Passes sit alongside Be.EV’s Flexi Pass, previously known as The Mega, which costs £13.99 a month and unlocks charging at 39p/kWh at any time of day.

Be.EV’s Flexi Pass subscribers save 25% against the UK average PAYG ultra-rapid charging price after their second charge.

Be.EV also offers members an Off-Peak rate of 49p/kWh between 7pm and 7am – the longest off-peak charging window of any UK public charging network.

Be.EV pricing at a glance:

Research methodology

The research was conducted by Censuswide among a sample of 1,693 UK drivers between 3 and 10 July 2026. Censuswide is a member of the Market Research Society and British Polling Council and a signatory to the Global Data Quality Pledge. Respondents were asked about their plans and attitudes towards summer holidays, staycations and EV travel.

About Be.EV

Be.EV is the UK's second-ranked medium-sized rapid/ultra-rapid EV charging network as voted by EV drivers and revealed by Zapmap. Established in Greater Manchester in 2019, Be.EV today operates a national network and is the sixth largest in the UK by number of rapid and ultra-rapid charging bays.

Be.EV operates over 2,500 live charging bays across more than 680 sites nationwide, with strong coverage across the North, Midlands and South of England. It is backed by £110 million from Octopus Energy Generation and a further £55 million from lenders NatWest and KfW IPEX-Bank.

Its core focus is on what EV drivers of today and tomorrow want: publicly accessible rapid and ultra-rapid Charging Hubs conveniently located on busy routes, at dwell destinations and in the hearts of communities nationwide.

Be.EV is uniquely focused on customer and community over kit, engaging with its 100,000+ members who play an active role in shaping their cleaner and greener neighbourhoods of the future.