Energy company Npower has launched a raft of new products aimed at electric vehicle owners, including charging points and an EV-focused energy tariff.
Three EV charging points will be available. The Easy Box is wall-mounted and aimed at domestic or small business use. Npower claims it can charge some vehicles at up to three-times the rate of a 13-amp socket.
The Smart Box charging point can charge certain EVs at up to six times the rate of a domestic socket and is intended for car park shopping centres and offices.
The Easy and Smart boxes will cost between £900-1000, including installation.
The Smart Station is similar to the Smart Box but is free-standing and can charge two EVs. Including installation, it will cost around £4000.
The company is working on a combi-station that can charge an EV at up to six or 12 times the speed of a domestic socket. It expects the product to go on sale in 2012.
Npower has also launched juice-e, an energy tariff that is “designed to support the uptake of electric vehicles.”
Under the tariff, the car’s batteries will automatically be charged during off-peak electricity hours. When customers are using charging points away from home, their car will be recognised when they plug in and they will be billed automatically for charging, rather than have to use a swipe card or other access systems to use the equipment.
The tariff is available to anyone with a charging point but buying an Npower charging point does not tie you to one of the firm’s energy tariffs.
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