Octopus Energy has unveiled its first home electric vehicle charger, in a push for more drivers to switch away from petrol and diesel cars.
The new Octopus Charge device promises to deliver electricity costs as low as 2p per mile when connected to the company's Intelligent Octopus Go tariff.
The smart charger, designed and manufactured by Octopus Energy, automatically schedules charging sessions during periods when electricity is cheapest and greenest.
The system integrates with the Octopus Energy app and the company's Kraken technology platform, allowing drivers to set their preferred charging times and amounts whilst the intelligent software handles the rest.
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Drivers who sign up to the scheme early will benefit from 5,000 free miles
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It offers additional functionality for households with solar panels, enabling vehicles to charge using surplus solar electricity generated on-site, transforming excess renewable energy into driving miles at no additional cost.
Octopus Energy has also introduced its Drive Pack tariff alongside the new charger, providing unlimited charging for a fixed monthly fee of £30.
The charger's physical design includes built-in 4G connectivity and a specially engineered cable holster that allows for installation in confined spaces.
The compact unit can be mounted in various locations, including driveways, garages or street-side positions, addressing common space constraints faced by EV owners.
Drivers could pay as little as 2p per kWh when charging their EV with the new Octopus tariff
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Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, chief product officer at Octopus Energy, commented: "Charging at home is already better than queueing up at the petrol station and now we've made it even simpler.
"Octopus Energy was the first energy company to launch a smart tariff, an EV tariff, an export tariff, and our very own heat pump.
"We're delighted to add Octopus Charge to our stable, initially designed to work seamlessly with Intelligent Octopus Go, and with other features to follow shortly."
The launch represents Octopus Energy's continued expansion into home technology hardware, building on its position as the UK's leading heat pump manufacturer.
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Early adopters will benefit from a substantial incentive package, with the first customers receiving 5,000 miles of complimentary charging.
This bonus equates to enough electricity to drive from Land's End to John o' Groats and back with distance to spare.
The Octopus Charge will initially be available exclusively to customers of Octopus Electric Vehicles, the company's EV leasing division.
Wider availability is scheduled for August, when all Octopus Energy customers will gain access to the new charging hardware.
Labour recently cut red tape from the process of installing EV chargers
OCTOPUS
The company has indicated that whilst the charger currently integrates with Intelligent Octopus Go, compatibility with additional smart tariffs will be introduced in future updates.
The announcement comes weeks after the Government confirmed that it would be scrapping red tape for the installation of EV chargers.
When looking to install electric car chargers, motorists and businesses will no longer need to apply for planning permission, potentially turbocharging the rollout of home chargers.
There are almost 81,000 public charging devices around the UK, across nearly 40,000 different locations. There are hopes that the UK will have 300,000 public chargers by the end of the decade.
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