Real-world figures for the Mk2 40 kWh (2018–25): 3.3 mi/kWh, 39 kWh usable battery. A full charge costs about £3.47 on an 8p EV tariff, £11.41 on the price cap. Change the version, mileage and tariff below.
| Tariff | Off-peak | Per month | Per mile | Full charge |
|---|
Assumes 90% of home charging lands in the off-peak window. Standing charges and daytime household use aren't included. Rates checked 29 September 2026.
| Version | Usable | mi/kWh | Full charge, 8p | Full charge, cap | 0–100% on 7 kW | AC / DC max |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mk2 40 kWh (2018–25) | 39 kWh | 3.3 | £3.47 | £11.41 | 6h 15m | 6.6 / 46 kW |
| Mk2 e+ 62 kWh (2019–25) | 59 kWh | 3.3 | £5.24 | £17.25 | 9h 15m | 6.6 / 100 kW |
| Mk3 Standard Range 52 kWh (2026) | 52.9 kWh | 3.8 | £4.70 | £15.47 | 8h 30m | 11 / 105 kW |
| Mk3 Extended Range 75 kWh (2026) | 75.1 kWh | 3.7 | £6.68 | £22 | 12h | 11 / 150 kW |
Tens of thousands of Mk2 Leafs on UK roads; CHAdeMO rapid chargers are disappearing, so home charging is increasingly the only cheap option.
No battery cooling on Mk2: repeated rapid charges slow dramatically ('Rapidgate').
Heat pump: optional (Mk2), standard Mk3. Without one, expect winter consumption 30–40% above the figure used here; with it, closer to 15–25%. The efficiency figure on this page is EV Database's real-world combined number, which sits between the official WLTP figure and a cold motorway run; it's the honest one to budget with.
On sale 2011–2025 (Mk1/Mk2), 2026–present (Mk3). Home charging at 7 kW (6.6 kW AC on-board charger on this version) adds about 21 miles of range per hour. Public rapid charging peaks at 46 kW on the Mk2 40 kWh (2018–25); at typical UK rapid-charger prices of 75–85p/kWh that works out at 26.3p per mile — roughly the same as petrol — so the whole saving with this car comes from charging at home on a tariff with a cheap window.
Charging 8,000 miles a year at home, the Nissan Leaf needs about 7 kWh a night on average — 1h of charging at 7 kW — so it fits comfortably inside a five- or six-hour window. Our pick is EDF GoElectric: about £21 a month for charging, £454 a year less than the price cap. EDF GoElectric is fractionally cheaper per kWh and works with any charger, but has a higher peak rate and exit fees. If you can't charge overnight, OVO Charge Anytime gives 14p at any time of day.
Run your own numbers, including public charging and your petrol comparison, in the EV charging cost calculator.
From empty, the Mk2 40 kWh (2018–25) version needs about 43 kWh from the socket once charging losses are included. On Intelligent Octopus Go (8p) that is around £3.47; on the standard price cap it is around £11.41; at a 79p public rapid charger about £34.
Using EV Database's real-world figure of 3.3 mi/kWh: about 2.7p per mile on an 8p EV tariff, 8.8p on the price cap and 26.3p on public rapid chargers. A 42 mpg petrol car at £1.38 a litre costs about 14.9p per mile.
On a 7 kW home charger the 39 kWh battery goes from empty to full in roughly 6h 15m. Most nights you'll only be topping up 20–40%, which takes 1h 45m or so and fits inside any EV tariff window.
For an 8,000-mile-a-year driver charging at home, Utility Warehouse EV gives the lowest charging bill in our comparison, but it has conditions. EDF GoElectric is the best mainstream choice, costing about £21 a month for charging against £58 on the price cap.
Battery and efficiency data: EV Database (real-world). Charging power: manufacturer specifications. Last checked 29 September 2026.