Electric vehicle (EV) owners could benefit from lower energy costs as a result of a new energy plan from the UK government and Ofgem.

The Electric Vehicle Smart Charging Action Plan aims to exploit the full potential of smart charging and make it the preferred method of long duration charging by 2025.

According to government estimates, motorists could save up to £1000 per year through smart charging.

The government said that smart charging uses energy use data and will allow EV owners to charge their vehicles when energy is cheaper or cleaner.

EV owners could also power their homes using electricity stored in their cars or sell it back to the grid for a profit.

The plan will improve the availability of information publicly available and the government said it will ensure that private charge points are secure and compatible with the latest energy innovations.

The government has also announced £16 million in funding from the Net Zero Innovation Portfolio (NZIP) for technology which uses smart charging and products which integrate into a smart energy system.

The government said it is working with Ofgem to remove the barriers that currently prevent the full development of a smart charging market and making sure that the energy market is ready to cope with the upswing in energy demand that increased EVs will bring.

Commenting on the news Graham Stuart, energy and climate Minister, said: “We want to make smart charging an easier choice for drivers of electric vehicles, whether that is charging on the driveway, at the workplace, or parked on the street.”

He added: “To do that we need to build new network infrastructure at pace, using the latest available technologies.”

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