British Gas is providing electric vehicle drivers with a year’s worth of free home charging under a new offer.

Drivers will get up to 8,000 miles of free charging if they order a Hive charger and use or switch to British Gas for electricity

Drivers will get up to 8,000 miles if they order a Hive EV charger and use or switch to British Gas for electricity via a smart meter.

Customers don’t need a specific tariff and chargers can be ordered with or without installation by British Gas, either through Hive or one of its partners. For customers that don’t yet have a smart meter, British Gas will install one for free.

It’s the latest offer to launch from an energy provider as the market seeks to win business from the growing number of EV drivers on the roads.

British Gas said its “market leading” proposition would help customers with their bills and cut carbon by charging at off-peak times. Charging works by using British Gas’ technology to schedule charging, usually overnight, when electricity demand is quietest.

Gav Murray, director of Hive, commented: “We are on a mission to do all we can to make greener home solutions more affordable and accessible. As more electric vehicles hit the road, we want to make sure the right products are available for those who are able to make the switch and encourage as many people to do so as possible.

“Electric vehicle uptake is a key part of the UK’s drive to net zero. Our FreeCharge proposition not only supports this uptake but, by shifting charging to when demand on the grid is at its lowest, we’re accelerating the journey towards a greener future.”

Once the Hive charger is installed, customers can activate the ‘FreeCharge’ service through the Hive app. British Gas will then reimburse customers for electricity used in this mode on their energy bill, with savings tracked through the Hive app.

Latest research by British Gas shows a growing appetite among consumers to make greener choices. Almost four in five (78%) say that they are willing to make changes in their own homes to tackle climate change, and more than one in three (35%) said they would install a home charger to power an EV.