The FTSE 100-listed group said electric vehicle drivers use up to 80% more electricity if they charge at home and so can benefit from tariffs which pass on cheaper overnight wholesale electricity costs PLC's () British Gas unit has launched a new smart time-of-use tariff for electric vehicle users offering cheaper electricity at night between 12.30am and 7.30am to charge their cars. In a press release on its website, the FTSE 100-listed group said electric vehicle drivers use up to 80% more electricity if they charge at home and so can benefit from tariffs which pass on cheaper overnight wholesale electricity costs. Peter Simon, Customer Propositions and Product Director at British Gas said: “This is our first residential EV product. Over the coming months, we will launch further electric vehicle charging services to both residential and business customers.” The smart tariff is dual fuel, fixed until November 2020 and has no exit fees. The average annual bill of £1,547 is based on an average electric vehicle user consuming an additional 2,340kWh of electricity per year by charging their car. It is available for new and existing customers paying by direct debit. Earlier this year, invested in Driivz, which offers end-to-end software solutions for electric vehicle charging, demonstrating its commitment to this market. There are currently 200,000 electric vehicles on the road in the UK, and the number is forecast to grow to 1.4mln by 2025.
British Gas has introduced its first smart time-of-use tariff for electric vehicle (EV) owners, providing cheaper electricity between 12.30am and 7.30am so users can charge their cars for less. The Centrica-owned group said that charging EVs at home can mean drivers use up to 80% more electricity. In a statement, the company said: “Customers will be able to choose how much power they want to pay for, based on when they need it most.