Centrica Offering Home EV Charging Installations in UK

Centrica has announced the expansion of its digital service, Local Heroes, to offer homeowners electric vehicle (EV) charging installations.

British multinational energy and services company, Centrica has announced the expansion of its digital service, Local Heroes, to offer homeowners electric vehicle (EV) charging installations.

Designed to help people find trusted local tradespeople, the British Gas backed service hopes to gain around 10-15% market share of all domestic charge point installations in the UK, helping users to pick their charger and unlock government grants towards the cost. The company is training its smart meter engineers to help meet the growing demand for home chargers, much of which is expected to come via the Local Heroes application process.

Building on the launch of its Responsible Business Ambitions earlier this year, the company has also joined the EV100 initiative by the Climate Group, which brings together companies committed to accelerating the transition to electric vehicles. As the owner of the third-largest commercial fleet in the country, the power firm has committed to electrify its 12,500-strong fleet of vehicles by 2030, having already racked up over one million electric miles over the last five years.

Dave Kirwan, Managing Director UK Home at Centrica said, “British Gas already offers time of use tariffs for electric vehicle owners, so they can benefit from cheaper electricity off-peak and we can now also help consumers find a cost-effective and efficient way to install their electric vehicle charger. We are committed to this market and so made the decision to upskill our engineering workforce in preparation for the shift to electric vehicles. We were one of the first to start installing domestic charge points and are a preferred supplier for the large car manufacturers.”

The Local Heroes digital service will help customers identify what type of charger they need for their home and find a trusted tradesperson to install it. All work that is undertaken is backed by a 12-month British Gas guarantee and the chargers are covered by a three-year manufacturer warranty. The cost of installation will begin from £249.

“Electrification of transport will be fundamental to global decarbonisation efforts and are committed to working with customers and partners to drive progress in this space,” the company issued in a statement.