UK businesses will now be able to lease fully electric vehicles, including the provision of home charging units, for the first time , thanks to a new deal agreed between British Gas and Hitachi Capital Vehicle Solutions.
The deal means that British Gas will supply and install electric vehicle (EV) charge points in homes across the country as standard when EVs are chosen by customers from Hitachi Capital’s fleet offering, which includes all EV makes and models. Hitachi Capital has recently added the Nissan LEAF and Citroen C-Zero to its own fleet.
Customers will also benefit from three years of free British Gas Home Electrical Care which gives the customer unlimited call outs for all home electrical repairs, including parts and labour.
The cost of the charging point, including installation, will be included in Hitachi Capital’s customer lease contracts, with maintenance provided by British Gas Home Electrical Care. Charging points are more convenient and safer than plugging the vehicles directly into the home electricity system and will cut the charging time by around a third.
The deal builds on British Gas’s agreement with Nissan and Renault to be the preferred supplier of charge points to its electric vehicles in the UK. Market analysis suggests that British Gas will be the preferred supplier of charge points for 70% of the electric vehicle market in the UK in 2012.
