BYD and Octopus Energy team up for ‘all-inclusive’ EV deal

BYD has teamed up with UK energy firm, Octopus Energy, to launch a new ‘all-inclusive’ EV bundle which, utilising vehicle-to-grid technology, enables drivers to essentially charge their car for free.

The Power Pack Bundle enables users to lease a BYD Dolphin supermini from just £299 per month. While this might not seem that appealing – you can get a Renault 5 for almost £100 less through Auto Express’ own Lease a Car service, for example – what really makes the Octopus deal stand out is that a free EV charger and EV charging are included in the price.

This isn’t just some ‘£50 free charging credit’ deal, either; the self-proclaimed “world first” offer includes a bi-directional Zaptec Pro charger (strangely, Octopus’ own recently-launched Octopus Charge unit doesn’t contain this technology), and will also charge your car completely for free.

Octopus achieves this by draining the car’s battery using V2G tech when you’re plugged-in at home not driving, and sells it back to the grid at peak times. Then, at off-peak hours (typically during the night) it will feed the energy back into the car, fully charging it for whenever you need to leave in the morning.

Unveiling the new plan at Octopus’ Energy Tech Summit in London, the energy firm’s founder and CEO, Greg Jackson, indicated that in order to receive the free electricity, customers will need to plug their car in around 20 times per month for 12 hours per go; most users will likely just plug their car in when they get home from work and leave it so overnight.

With this in mind, Jackson called V2G technology a “game changer”, saying that it will “revolutionise our energy system and help drive costs down”, while BYD’s executive vice president, Stella Li, said: “This project will allow them to unlock the full potential of electric vehicles – not just as transport, but as dynamic assets that can play a key role in supporting the grid.”

The Power Pack Bundle will be available later this year, although keen applicants can register their interest online now. To be eligible, participants must drive less than 12,000 miles per year, have a smart meter and have single-phase power at their property. 

If you already drive one of the very few electric cars currently available with bi-directional charging capabilities, Octopus also offers the standard Power Pack tariff which, like the Bundle, includes free charging provided you plug the car in at home regularly.

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