Last updated: 8 October 2026, 2:17pm BST
In short
- Around 500 council-backed on-street chargepoints will move from Blink to char.gy and Believ on Thursday 15 October.
- Overnight standard charging falls from 55p to 39p per kWh, while rapid overnight charging falls from 73p to 48p.
- One tariff moves the other way: standard daytime charging rises from 55p to 59p per kWh.
- Blink users should check the new operator and price shown at the charger before starting a session.
- A separate council pilot is being developed for almost 200 pavement charging gullies.
Brighton EV charging prices will change on Thursday 15 October as the council transfers its existing on-street network from Blink to char.gy and Believ.
Most of the published tariffs are lower, but the change is not a blanket price cut. Drivers using a standard char.gy point during the day will pay 59p per kWh, four pence more than Blink’s current flat 55p rate. The biggest saving is on rapid charging overnight, which falls from 73p to 48p per kWh.
What is changing on 15 October
Brighton & Hove City Council’s existing contract with Blink ends this month. The council’s May cabinet report said the network contained 501 chargepoints and would transfer to one or both of the other operators appointed under its newer concession arrangements.
According to the council’s latest EV charging update, the operator change takes effect on 15 October. Brighton and Hove News reports that standard units will be replaced with char.gy equipment, while fast and rapid points will transfer to Believ.
Drivers will be able to use the relevant operator’s app or compatible third-party charging apps. The new operator should also be identified on the chargepoint itself.
Brighton EV charging prices compared
The table below shows the published pay-as-you-go rates and what the change means for a 40kWh session. It covers electricity only: parking charges, permit rules and time limits may still apply.
| Charger and time | Blink now | From 15 October | Difference on 40kWh |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard, overnight | 55p/kWh | 39p/kWh, char.gy | £6.40 cheaper |
| Standard, daytime | 55p/kWh | 59p/kWh, char.gy | £1.60 dearer |
| Fast, overnight | 55p/kWh | 41p/kWh, Believ | £5.60 cheaper |
| Fast, daytime | 55p/kWh | 53p/kWh, Believ | 80p cheaper |
| Rapid, overnight | 73p/kWh | 48p/kWh, Believ | £10 cheaper |
| Rapid, daytime | 73p/kWh | 58p/kWh, Believ | £6 cheaper |
For char.gy’s Brighton and Hove network, the operator lists its night tariff as midnight to 6.59am and its day tariff as 7am to 11.59pm. Its local information hub warns that prices can vary, so the rate displayed at the individual charger or in the app should be checked before connecting.
Believ likewise says the tariff shown for a chargepoint can depend on location, time and payment method. Its driver help page explains that sessions can be started through the app or web portal, with contactless payment available at some units. Its 24-hour support number is 0800 051 5335.
Why this matters locally
The strongest benefit is for drivers who can shift charging into the overnight window. A 40kWh standard charge would fall from £22 to £15.60. The same amount at a rapid unit overnight would fall from £29.20 to £19.20.
Daytime standard users get the opposite result: the same 40kWh rises from £22 to £23.60. That trade-off matters in a city where many residents do not have driveways and depend on street chargers rather than a domestic electricity tariff.
The new rates also compare reasonably with the national public-charging market. Zapmap’s September 2026 index put the UK pay-as-you-go average at 54p per kWh for chargers below 50kW and 79p for rapid and ultra-rapid units. Brighton’s overnight prices are below those benchmarks, although its 59p standard daytime tariff is above the national lower-speed average.
The council says 500 new chargepoints have been installed since March, with another 600 planned over the next six months and 50 new rapid units beginning installation in October. It also says 86% of local households are now within a five-minute walk of a public chargepoint.
What drivers should do
- Before 15 October, finish any Blink session in the usual way and keep the receipt if you may need to query it later.
- From 15 October, check the operator name and live tariff on the charger, char.gy app, Believ app or web portal before starting.
- Do not assume the charging fee includes parking. Follow the bay sign, permit conditions and any payment or time limit separately.
- If you can choose when to charge, compare the overnight window with the daytime rate. The saving is substantial on standard and rapid units.
- Do not run a private cable across the pavement. The council is developing a controlled trial of almost 200 pavement gullies, but that does not make unapproved cables legal or safe.
Brighton Locals’ view
The operator switch is positive for most users, particularly residents who can charge overnight and rapid-charge drivers. Publishing time-of-use tariffs should also encourage charging when demand is lower.
But describing the whole change simply as “cheaper” hides the daytime standard increase. The council and operators should publish a single, searchable transition map showing every affected unit, its new operator, its go-live status and its exact tariff. That would be more useful than asking drivers to discover the change at the kerb.
What to watch next
The immediate test is whether all transferred chargers work reliably from 15 October and whether apps, payment methods and signage are updated without gaps. The next measures to watch are the promised 600 further installations, the 50 rapid chargers starting this month and the eligibility rules for the proposed pavement-gully pilot.
Bottom line: most Brighton EV drivers can pay less from 15 October, especially overnight, but standard daytime charging becomes more expensive. Check the operator, the clock and the parking rules before plugging in.
Sources: Brighton & Hove City Council EV charging update and May 2026 cabinet papers; char.gy Brighton & Hove information hub; Believ driver guidance; Zapmap September 2026 price index; Brighton and Hove News, 8 October 2026.
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