British Gas has unveiled the UK’s cheapest charging rate for electric vehicles as drivers could benefit from 8,000 free miles worth of charging range.
Owners of electric vehicles can benefit from low rates set out by British Gas and its Hive SmartCharge service.
Drivers will see a 4p/kWh saving on all of their electric vehicle charging, amounting to around £298 per year in savings, on average.
These savings will automatically be credited to the driver’s energy bill every month, allowing them to save even more money.
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Drivers can save the most money when charging their vehicles overnight
BRITISH GAS
Motorists can leave their electric vehicle plugged in and enable the free SmartCharge feature in the Hive app at which point British Gas will automatically charge the EV when energy is at its cheapest rate.
When combined with British Gas’ Electric Driver tariff, users could be paying as little as 4.95p/kWh for electric vehicle charging if they charge overnight between 12am and 5am.
This comes at a time when experts are calling on the Government to introduce new measures to ensure uptake of EVs remains strong and continues to accelerate.
A recent report from the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee said targeted grants should be considered to incentivise the purchase of EVs and boost at-home charging.
Kim Royds, Director of Mobility, Centrica New Business and Net Zero, said owners of electric vehicles would experience additional benefits compared to other drivers.
She added: “We’re committed to making the transition to net zero simple and affordable and electric vehicles play a key part in this.
“Through our innovative SmartCharge offering, we’re helping EV owners take charge of their energy bills and access the cheapest EV charging rate on the market while also helping manage the demand on the grid.”
For people who do not have access to an at-home charger, British Gas offers 12 months of free home charging to new customers who buy one of its Hive EV chargers.
Drivers can also benefit from FreeCharge which provides them with up to 8,000 miles of free electric vehicle charging and is available to new and existing British Gas customers.
Owners looking to get thousands of free miles do not need a specific tariff and for those without a smart meter, British Gas will install one for free.
The most recent data from RAC Charge Watch shows that using a public charger on a pay-as-you-go non-subscription basis will cost 75.1p/kWh at a rapid charger and 79.75p/kWh at an ultra-rapid charger.
This marks a significant jump in price for those using public rapid chargers, rising 3.5p/kWh in just one month, while ultra-rapid charger users saw a 1.4p/kWh jump.
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A recent report called on the Government to incentivise the purchase of new electric vehicles
PA
The cost per mile to charge an electric vehicle at home is just 8p, compared to 16p per mile for petrol and 17p per mile for diesel.