Customer recharging their electric car. Photo: Sainsbury's

Electric car drivers shopping at Sainsbury’s in Whitechapel will be able to recharge their cars for free by the end of the month.

The Cambridge Heath Road branch is one of 11 stores chosen by Sainsbury’s to launch its recharging network. It is hoped the new service will encourage more people to buy electric cars.

Neil Sachdev, Sainsbury’s commercial director, said: “Electric vehicles create less noise and help keep the city’s air clean. More of these cars will appear on our streets as the technology improves, meaning convenient recharge points will become increasingly important.”

Electric car companies also welcomed the news. Lawrence Holland, general manager of Nice Car, which distributes Mega e-City electric vehicles in London, said: “This initiative puts half of all Londoners within three miles of a recharging point and that is a good start. I hope it renews the challenge to the government to invest in developing the electric vehicle charging infrastructure … so that electrics can begin to be used as easily as those powered by petrol or diesel.”

Within the next ten years Sainsbury’s hopes to install charge points at every store located in a large city.