A new trial that will offer financial incentives to up to 1,000 electric vehicle (EV) owners to charge their car off peak has been launched.

UK Power Networks (UKPN) is working with energy supplier Octopus Energy, OVO Group’s intelligent energy platform Kaluza and charging point operator Pod Point, to explore the different business models and market mechanisms to deliver the benefits from smart charging.

Called Shift, the pilot project aims to develop a large-scale, smart charging solution that can be rolled out by flexibility service providers like charging point operators, aggregators and energy suppliers.

UKPN is recruiting up to 1,000 members of the public who own EVs and charge it at their homes to take part in the trial across London, the South and East of England, where it delivers electricity.

Ian Cameron, Head of Innovation at UKPN said: “We’re really excited to be working with our customers and industry on a nationally-significant trial that could revolutionise the electric vehicle industry. There has been a lot talk about how smart charging could save customers money and help manage the network but this is the first time we’ve actually set out to discover how.

“Stakeholders have told us that a smart charging market is what they’d like to see because it gives them both choice and freedom over how they charge their electric vehicle. Listening to this feedback, we are working with others to design new devices that enable customers to benefit from the low carbon transport revolution.”