Energy supplier Ovo launches tariff for electric vehicle drivers

LONDON, Aug 1 (Reuters) - British electricity and gas supplier Ovo Energy has launched a new tariff aimed at drivers of electric vehicles, hoping to tap a growing market days after Britain announced a ban on the sale of new diesel and petrol cars from 2040.

Ovo Energy's EV Everywhere tariff offers customers a two-year fixed energy rate that also includes free membership of the POLAR network of charging stations over that period.

Electricity consumption by electric cars is expected to rise as consumers opt for more environmentally friendly transport and the cost for batteries used in the cars falls.

Britain said last week it would ban the sale of new diesel and petrol cars from 2040 in an attempt to reduce air pollution.

Ovo estimates Britain will have at least one million electric vehicles on its roads by 2022, up from about 110,000 now.

"Mass adoption of electric vehicles will completely revolutionise the energy sector," said Ovo Energy CEO Stephen Fitzpatrick, who set up the energy company in 2009.

Users of Ovo Energy's new tariff will receive electricity from renewable energy sources, guaranteed by certificates proving its origin. The company said it was only Britain's third energy tariff targeted at electric vehicles.

Green energy (Other OTC: GRYG - news) company Ecotricity and renewable energy supplier Good Energy (LSE: GOOD.L - news) also have tariffs for electric car users.

Alongside the tariff launch Ovo also announced two acquisitions: electric vehicle charging point installer ChargedEV and electric vehicle technology research company Indra (Madrid: IDR.MC - news) Renewable Technologies.

Ovo declined to disclose financial details of the deals.

The independent supplier made its first acquisition earlier this year when it bought U.S. smart grid startup VCharge. (Reporting by Karolin Schaps; editing by Jane Merriman)