Britain's OVO Energy unveils domestic vehicle to grid charger

LONDON, April 18 (Reuters) - British energy supplier OVO Energy unveiled on Wednesday a charging unit that will enable owners some electric vehicles to charge their cars and sell electricity back to the power grid.

* OVO Energy, one of the independents challenging Britain's "Big Six" energy suppliers, said its VCharge unit is the world's first widely available domestic bi-directional vehicle charger.

* The technology will initially be offered for free to 1,000 OVO Energy customers and Nissan's LEAF vehicle owners from summer 2018 as part of a part government-funded trial, OVO said during a product launch in London.

* The units AI will enable the vehicles to take advantage of cheap electricity when it is available and sell power back to the grid at peak times when it is more expensive.

* Customers could also earn revenues from flexibility services required by National Grid (LSE: NG.L - news) to balance the country's energy system.

* Around one million electric vehicles are expected to be on the road in Britain by 2022, according to industry forecasts.

* Last year the government said it would ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2040 in an attempt to reduce air pollution and cut greenhouse gas emissions. (Reporting by Susanna Twidale Editing by Edmund Blair)