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EV mapping service Zap Map and clean power company Good Energy are partnering to launch a new tariff especially for drivers of electric vehicles (EVs) which will offer EV drivers the opportunity to power their home, or charge their car, for free.

The tariff will include ‘flash’ windows based on periods when Britain is generating an abundance of solar and wind power. When this happens, the tariff will alert drivers to a four-hour window when charging their vehicle will come at no extra cost, and will be entirely backed by Good Energy’s 100% renewable electricity supply.

The ’Zap Flash’ tariff is aimed at providing people with a cheaper and greener way to use electricity. Shifting energy consumption will also help National Grid balance supply and demand during high levels of renewables on the system.

The tariff will be enabled by smart metering, and Good Energy will be rolling out smart EV chargers and an updated app to work alongside the new product. It will initially be launched in beta phase, allowing for more sophisticated versions as the company learns from customers.

The ‘flash’ period will vary in day each week, but the times will remain the same in the summer and winter months. The ’Summer Flash Period’ will run from April to September between 11am and 3pm. The ’Winter Flash Period’ will run from October to March between 11pm and 3am. Customers will be given at least 24 hours’ notice in advance of the flash period.

Designed in tandem with Good Energy, the ’Zap Flash’ tariff includes feedback gleaned from Zap-Map’s 150,000 active users. The companies claim it will also be the first EV ‘time-of-use’ tariff is powered by genuinely 100% renewable electricity.

Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder and chief operating officer at Zap-Map, said: “The electric vehicle market is changing rapidly, and we need to keep up. There will be over 70 pure electric models available to buy in 2021 and the UK now has close to 500,000 plug-in vehicles on the road. 

“This innovative tariff is supporting these seismic shifts by offering drivers a cheaper and greener way of charging their vehicle. Zap Flash goes above and beyond what’s currently on the market by listening to what people want and helping them go electric.”

Juliet Davenport, CEO and founder of Good Energy, said: “Britain generates so much renewable electricity it only makes sense for us all to take advantage of this free resource. The new ‘flash’ tariff will offer people the chance to benefit from free, green power when the wind and sun are strongest. Electric vehicle drivers are already doing their bit for the climate – here’s a chance for them to go one step further and support a truly clean energy grid.”

Good Energy recently invested a further £1 million into Zap-Map. This investment enables Zap-Map to scale up, broaden its product and services offering as EVs move towards the mass market, and continue to deliver on its promise to make charging simple for EV drivers.