British Gas adds EV charging to Hive smart home platform

15 July 2021

Tech & Innovation

Michael Pullan, Senior Communications Manager

T: 07557 619446

In a first of its kind solution homeowners can now charge their EV, as well as control their heating, lighting and security from their phone, with the new Hive EV Charging from British Gas and the smart Alfen charger, paving the way for the future home.

Bringing together a smart Alfen charger and Hive, electric vehicle owners will be able to charge their car when prices are at their lowest and when the most renewable energy is available on the grid, providing a cheaper and more sustainable solution for customers.

This offer is part of British Gas’ wider plan to help the UK reach its target of 2.3 million charging points by 2030,[1] allowing customers the freedom to charge at home and manage their energy via an app, providing greater control over using renewable energy.

While public charging facilities are critical for the transition, with Ofgem revealing earlier this year that one in four of us plans to buy an electric vehicle in the next five years and electric and hybrid sales reaching a record 14 per cent of all new car sales in the UK in March, up from 7.3 per cent the year before, the demand for home charging is increasing.

By partnering with Alfen to provide an industry leading charger and bringing together the Hive app, key technology to optimise when drivers charge their vehicles, and British Gas’ expert engineers to provide the installation and ongoing service, customers are provided with the end to end solution and peace of mind of a trusted brand.

As well as being able to manage all their Hive products day-to-day in one easy to use app, customers will be able to receive daily, weekly and monthly summaries of their charging history as a cost and in kWh and will be notified when charging starts outside of the cheapest window for their tariff.

The integrated automated charging feature supports balancing the grid, while giving customers the best deal via a time of use tariffs, meaning the customer plugs in and leaves the rest to Hive. And if they have any problems, they will be able to use the app to diagnose and resolve the problem themselves or chat with a technical expert.

"Hive is one of the largest and most advanced smart home ecosystems and platforms on the market, paving the way for the home of the future, and by integrating energy management devices our customers will have more choice over when and how they provide energy to their home. By bringing together our award-winning Hive technology and trusted British Gas engineers, we are uniquely positioned to offer customers an end-to-end solution for their home energy management needs, whether that be controlling their energy use, charging their electric vehicle or keeping their home safe and warm. With the ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles on the horizon, many people are considering how to make the switch to electric. Smart charging as part of a home energy eco-system is the most cost-effective, simple and sustainable way to make the switch."

Matthew Bateman, Managing Director, British Gas Services & Solutions

NOTES

[1] According to The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) blueprint for what it described as an “electric revolution” for private retail vehicles.

Find out more about Hive EV Charging.
Hive EV Charging includes installation of a 7.4kw Alfen Eve Single Chargepoint at home with 3-year warranty and access to the Hive app.
British Gas has trained 175 engineers across the UK to specialise in EV installation to ensure we have the UK covered.
From the initial questionnaire to the home survey, through to sorting the OZEV grant and expert installation, British Gas have created a specialised team to ensure a hassle free and personalised installation for customers.
Our ambition is to be the UK’s leading provide or energy management solutions to help our customers live more sustainable lives and better manage their energy at home, including charging their electric vehicles.

About British Gas
British Gas is Britain’s leading supplier of energy and services and the country’s biggest retailer of zero carbon electricity. We are part of Centrica, a company founded on a 200-year heritage of serving people. We provide energy and services to over 7 million UK homes and businesses, supported by around 7,500 highly trained engineers and technicians. We also offer a range of innovative products and services, including Hive and our on-demand digital trades service, Local Heroes. Our purpose of helping customers live sustainably, simply and affordably drives our strategy and our People and Planet Plan.

About Hive 
Hive launched in 2013 and is one of the top smart thermostat providers in the UK. With 1.9 million customers and counting, it is part of British Gas, one of Britain’s leading suppliers of energy and services. Our Hive smart thermostat and other services help our customers manage their energy use, enabling them to lower their carbon footprint. Hive focusses on making everyday life a little easier, freeing people up to spend time doing the things they love. The range of Hive products and services are designed to work together, to offer affordable, easy to use solutions and make a difference in people’s lives.  

About Alfen
Netherlands-based Alfen is operating internationally in the heart of the energy transition, being a specialist in energy solutions for the future. With its 80-years’ history, Alfen has a unique combination of activities. Alfen designs, develops and produces smart grids, energy storage systems and electric vehicle chargers and combines these in integrated solutions to address the electricity challenges of its clients. 