British Gas has launched its first free nationwide charging package to include a home charge point and access to the nationwide POLAR public charging network.

Thanks to the government’s subsidised funding scheme, British Gas is offering electric vehicle users nationwide the option of having a safer charging point installed at home for free. Those who take up this offer will also get access to the POLAR public network which will keep them charged up when out and about at no extra cost.

Andreas Atkins, head of electric vehicle services at British Gas, said: “This offer is a milestone for the UK’s electric vehicle market. The number of electric vehicles on the road is predicted to hit 1.5m by 2020 and the Government funding scheme which makes this offer possible is doing a lot to help reduce the cost of owning an EV even further.

“As the offer is open to anyone it’s a great time for the friends or family of EV drivers to install electric vehicle charge points at their homes. For example, if someone is making a regular journey to and from a relative’s house then having a charge point at both destinations could be worthwhile.”

Lance Bradley, managing director for Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, said: "The package being offered by British Gas comes at an exciting time for Mitsubishi Motors in the UK, with sales of the Mitsubishi i-Miev and the launch of the new Outlander PHEV at the end of 2013, it now means it has never been easier to charge your electric vehicle and it cements Mitsubishi's plan for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles to account for 20% of our vehicle sales by 2020.

"British Gas is well placed to be at the forefront of the electric vehicle market and we can now guarantee that new and existing customers will receive the very best advice about safe and efficient charging, free of charge, as electric vehicles move more into the mainstream."