Centrica has announced further growth of its digital service, Local Heroes, which will now offer UK homeowners the option of Electric Vehicle (EV) charging installations.

Its service was created to help people find reliable, local tradespeople. The British Gas backed service intends to have 10-15% share of all home-based charge point installations in the UK.

Training is undergoing with its smart meter engineers to ensure they will soon be able to meet the increasing demand for home chargers.

Dave Kirwan, managing director UK home at Centrica said: “British Gas already offers time of use tariffs for electric vehicle owners, so they can benefit from cheaper electricity off peak and we can now also help consumers find a cost effective and efficient way to install their electric vehicle charger.

“We are committed to this market and so made the decision to upskill our engineering workforce in preparation for the shift to electric vehicles.”

“We were one of the first to start installing domestic charge points and are a preferred supplier for the large car manufacturers.”

Centrica has also joined EV100, a global scheme by the Climate Group, which intends to bring companies together with a shared aim of transitioning to electric vehicles.

The company has committed to ensure its 12,500 plus fleet of vehicles are electric by 2030, with over one million EV miles already being driven over the last five years.

Offering home charging services is another step closer to Centrica and the UK’s zero-emission plans, which is also helped by the prediction of 5m electric vehicles being on the road by 2030.

Yesterday the Goverment announced a consultation from the proposal that all new-build UK homes will have EV charging points.