OVO Energy has pushed its way into the electric vehicle charging market, buying up a technology integration company and a charge point installer while simultaneously revealing itself to be the green energy supplier to the UK’s largest charging network operator.
Last week Chargemaster announced it had made “the logical move” to switch the electricity supply to its POLAR network of more than 5,600 public charging points – representing over 40% of the UK total – to one of renewables .
OVO Energy has revealed that it has signed the deal and has launched a new tariff bundle to offer its customers 100% renewable household energy with free membership to the POLAR network. With over half of the electricity it generates coming from renewables, OVO’s EV Everywhere tariff combines a two year fixed energy plan with two free add-ons, for charging at home and on the road.
It offers zero energy price rises for at least two years on domestic bills while allowing for home charging of an electric vehicle and POLAR membership, worth £188 over the period. The tariff also includes complimentary smart meter installation and three percent interest rewards on a credit balance
David Martell, chief executive of Chargemaster, said: “We very pleased that OVO Energy has joined us as the exclusive energy supplier for our POLAR network. Through our partnership, we look to accelerate the growth of our network with the ability to offer 100 percent green energy and smart charging capabilities to our charge points across the country.”
In a move towards building a complete “grid smart” charging solution for electric vehicles, OVO Energy will also begin to introduce its proprietary VNet technology across the network, unlocking smart charging capabilities on a national scale. This is intended to ultimately enable OVO Energy customers’ electric vehicles to function as mobile batteries at home and on-the-go, balancing renewable energy on the grid and allowing drivers to sell back unused energy.
To accelerate this transition to smart charging, OVO has acquired electric vehicle charge point specialists, ChargedEV, and Indra Renewable Technologies, an EV components and services supplier. The intention is to combine the companies’ technical expertise with Chargemaster’s to develop a ‘game-changing smart charger’, due to be launched to market later this year.
Stephen Fitzpatrick, chief executive of OVO, said: “Mass adoption of electric vehicles will completely revolutionise the energy sector as the number of cars on UK roads reach one million in the next five years.
“Working with Chargemaster, and combining ChargedEV and Indra’s technical expertise to develop a smart charging solution utilising our ground-breaking VNet technology, we will help solve some of the challenges faced with the growing demand for electricity. We will also provide our customers with a complete at-home and on-the-go energy solution, enabling zero-carbon driving.”
