A company aiming to replace petrol stations by delivering fuel directly to consumers and businesses has received a £1.8m cash injection from investors.

Zebra Fuel was set up in 2016 and uses a fleet of specially adapted vans to dispense fuel directly into the customer’s vehicle.

Currently it only delivers diesel to addresses in central London, although chief executive Reda Bennis said it has plans to deliver biodiesel, followed by petrol, electric charging and hydrogen.

The new funds will cover the cost of increasing the fleet of delivery drivers and vehicles and expand the coverage of the service.

Zebra claims to be price competitive with inner city petrol stations, because it sources fuel from the same wholesale suppliers and doesn’t have the costs of a forecourt.

It also saves costs because its vans don’t need to travel to the wholesale supplier, but are refueled by the Zebra Fuel “mother ship,” a tanker able to restock multiple Zebra Fuel delivery vehicles.

Bennis, added: “Ultimately, our goal is to replace the petrol station and in doing so make filling up your car faster, cheaper, less harmful to the environment, and hassle-free.”