British Gas is offering EV drivers the chance to slash charging costs to just 4.95p/kWh overnight under its Hive SmartCharge service.

Combined with British Gas’ Electric Driver tariff, users could pay an effective rate of 4.95p/kWh for EV charging if they plug in overnight between 12am – 5am

It’s believed to be the cheapest way to charge electric vehicles in the UK and could see customers save up to £298 per year, which is credited back to their energy bill.

The cheap rate can be accessed by Hive SmartCharge users who enable the free SmartCharge feature in the Hive app and leave their EV plugged in. British Gas will automatically charge the EV when energy is at its cheapest during that charging session.

Combined with British Gas’ Electric Driver tariff, users could be paying an effective rate of just 4.95p/kWh for EV charging if they plug in overnight between 12am – 5am.

SmartCharge provides EV drivers with cheaper energy by working out the best times to charge your vehicle. The longer a car is plugged in, the more you can save; if the EV is plugged in for six hours or more, British Gas will credit you 4p for every kWh of charge you use and 2p for every kWh if your car is plugged in for less than six hours.

Hive SmartCharge is available to British Gas electricity customers via the Hive app and provides a simple way to save costs on EV charging this year while also using cleaner energy sources while the grid is in less demand.

New customers of the Hive chargers are also able to receive a full year of charging for free with FreeCharge. The promotion offers 12 months of free home charging to new customers who buy one of its Hive EV chargers. With the FreeCharge offer, customers will benefit from up to 8,000 miles of free EV charging. The offer is available to new and existing British Gas electricity customers who have a smart meter and purchase one of Hive’s EV Chargers.

Chargers can be ordered with or without installation by British Gas, either through Hive or one of its partners including Amazon, Costco, Screwfix, Toolstation and City Plumbing Supplies. Customers don’t need a specific tariff and for customers that don’t yet have a smart meter, British Gas will install one for free. The offer is limited up to 5,000 FreeCharge-eligible sales.

Kim Royds, director of mobility, Centrica New Business & Net Zero, said: “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.”