Energy supplier E.ON Next has announced the launch of a pilot package that will see customers receive an EV charger and other low-carbon tech at no upfront cost.
The new package, known as Next Gen Home, will be trialled with 20 E.ON Next custiomers across the Midlands starting later this month; if successful, all eligible households will be able to access the package from early next year (2026).
Customers will receive around £20,000 worth of low-carbon tech, including solar panels, home battery storage, an EV charger, and access to a home energy management app. This will be financed with customers paying their equipment off over a period of up to ten years through a fixed-rate finance agreement; those who participate in the trial will receive a 90% discount on their equipment costs.
According to E.ON Next, the plan will use digital technology to optimise energy use, helping customers use energy and charge their vehicles at the lowest possible cost with minimal environmental impact.
Ramona Vlasiu, chief operating officer at E.ON Next said that the launch of the pilot “represents a significant milestone for E.ON Next and its customers”. Vlasiu added: “We believe that greener energy choices should be available to everyone, not just the affluent. If we can remove the burden of large upfront costs, there is greater potential to help lower customers’ carbon emissions and bills, and help more people to invest in their own homes in the long-term.”
Affordability has been frequently noted as an issue for the expansion of EV charging in the UK. A recent report from analytics firm Cornwall Insight has noted that public charging can cost up to £1,500 more per year than using an off-peak home charging tariff. As such, E.ON Next has worked to introduce new tariffs that make at home charging even cheaper for its customers, including a recent partnership with home EV charging provider Ohme, which offers home charging for 6.7p/kWh between midnight and 7am.
E.ON Next has also worked alongside smart energy platform to launch new flexible energy products. The new platform, called ResidentialFlex, will serve over five million existing E.ON Next customers with smart meters, and the first wave of smart energy products and tariffs to leverage the platform will focus on EV charging based tariffs and products.
