Electric car owners 'can drive for free by letting energy firms use battery'

Savings from a new scheme will cover the 350-400 annual cost of charging a Nissan Leaf, says electricity supplier Ovo

Electric car owners will be paid for letting an energy company use their vehicle's battery in a pioneering scheme to increase take-up of the cleaner vehicles and help power grids manage the growth in green energy.

Nissan and one of the UK's biggest challenger energy suppliers, Ovo, will offer the "vehicle-to-grid" service to buyers of the Japanese carmaker's new Leaf from next year.