Electric car owners across the country can now begin receiving rewards for charging their EVs at home thanks to a new scheme.
Pod, one of the UK's most popular electric vehicle charging providers, has unveiled a new scheme that will pay customers cash rewards to smart charge their cars at home.
Pod Rewards could earn motorists up to £100 a year in cash rewards by plugging their cars in, setting a target charge and charging their EVs.
The scheme is designed to make running an electric vehicle more affordable at a time when millions of Britons continue to struggle with high energy bills.
Any Pod customer is able to make use of the new service if they have a single rate or two-rate domestic electricity tariff.
Rewards can be earned regardless of their energy supplier, with drivers continuing to benefit from cheap charging costs at off-peak times.
Motorists can use the Pod Home app to sign into their account, sign up for the programme and begin withdrawing their rewards once they reach a £10 balance.
Pod has already paid out £330,000 in rewards to customers through cash or vouchers, as it accelerates its independent smart charging trials.
Pod customers could be paid to smart charge their vehicles at home
|GETTY/POD
The company, which has installed more than 250,000 chargers since 2009, is now expanding its smart charging capabilities and rewards beyond early trial schemes and Pod Drive subscribers.
Pod suggests that thousands of drivers are eligible for the scheme, which could pay out more than £1million in rewards by the end of the year.
Melanie Lane, CEO at Pod, said: "Pod Rewards redefines the charging experience for our home customers and rewards them for choosing to charge with Pod, without compromising on ease and simplicity.
"As we continue to pioneer in the home EV charging space, we're making everyday electric mobility more affordable than ever before, for thousands of drivers across the UK."
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Pod said drivers can get involved in the Pod Rewards scheme regardless of their energy supplier
|POD
Pod is able to adjust charging windows for its customers to times when grid demand is lower and supply of renewable energy is higher.
It can then generate "flex" revenue from the national grid that is passed down to customers through the cash bonuses included in Pod Rewards.
Pod said it was "actively encouraging" motorists to get involved and make use of Pod Rewards and subscribing to Pod Drive.
It confirmed that it would also offer future customers the chance to buy a home charger outright and earn rewards from the first time an electric car is plugged in.
Pod estimates that it could give out £1million in rewards by the end of the year
|POD
Pod is also backing the Government's recently launched "Get That Electric Feeling" campaign, which aims to get more drivers behind the wheel of an electric vehicle.
Keir Mather, Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Minister, said it was "great to see" businesses like Pod providing drivers with additional incentives to make the switch to an EV.
He added that Britons can charge an electric car at home for as little as 2p per mile when using an EV-friendly tariff, furthering the benefits of ditching petrol and diesel.
"We’re making it easier than ever to make the switch from petrol and diesel through schemes like our Electric Car Grant which has helped over 55,000 drivers save up to £3,750 off brand-new EV," the Labour MP for Selby said.