The US based green energy company Ecotricity is offering it’s clients 1600 kms of free energy for their electric vehicles plus free charging at their 120 motorway based fast charge stations. The company has also signed an agreement with VW for the new e-up! EV that means a free smart meter in customers homes. This offer is currently attracting signups at the rate of 50 per week – perhaps not significant numbers at the moment but then the EV revolution is still in it’s infancy. It does however demonstrate the novel ways in which car manufacturers (such as Tesla with free Superchargers) and energy companies are positioning themselves for the inevitable surge in EV ownership.
Ecotricity chief executive Dale Vince said there was a compelling environmental argument for electric car owners to sign up to green energy tariffs.
“To get the greatest environmental benefit from an electric car, it needs to be charged using 100 per cent green electricity from the wind and the sun, otherwise you’re still powering it from dirty fossil fuels,” he said in a statement. “Ecotricity’s new tariff ensures customers with electric cars are recharging at home with green energy and as a bonus they’ll get at least 1,000 free miles worth of electricity.”
The launch comes just days after the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) announced nearly 3,000 EVs and hybrids were registered in January 2014 – a 25% increase year on year. Click to read the full article.
Global sales of EVs are forecast to surge 67% in 2014.
