network of electric car recharging points outside its London

No charge is made for the service

Shoppers using Sainsbury's will be able to plug in their vehicles for free while they go shopping.

Electric cars such as the Reva G-Wiz typically have a range of about 70 miles on a full battery, which takes up to eight hours to charge.

But an hour and a half plugged in to the charge point is enough to get the battery up to 80% full.

The store is billing the network as an "electric vehicle superhighway", but at the Islington branch visited by Sky News they are yet to be used by a customer.

Reva G-Wiz Is Charged At Sainsbury’s

Environmental affairs manager Jack Cunningham said it was early days as the network has only just been opened.

He said that the aim of the initiative was to cater for existing customers known to use electric cars, rather than attract more business from environmentally-friendly shoppers.

However, he admitted it was part of a longer-term strategy to make sure the chain was in pole position to capitalise as green concerns come to dictate more of our shopping and spending habits in future.

"It's part of our strategy to enable our customers to be more environmentally responsible," he told Sky News.

"We believe longer term that this kind of technology is going to be very important, so it's important for us to start providing it at this early stage."

The scheme is also designed to tie in with Mayor Boris Johnson's aim of making London the "electric vehicle capital of Europe".

Sainsbury's Environmental Affairs Manager

Mr Johnson said: "I warmly welcome the arrival of Sainsbury's network... which will put half of all London's population within three miles of a charge point."

The power for the recharging points is supplied by EDF, whose electricity the supermarket already sells under its Sainsbury's Energy brand.

If the takeup is big enough, the scheme will be rolled out to other major cities in the UK.

Charge points can now be found at Sainsbury's stores in Beckton, Camden, Chiswick, Cromwell Road, East Dulwich, Greenwich Peninsula, Islington, North Cheam and Sydenham.

The Wandsworth and Whitechapel branches will get them later this month.