in the driver seat

Houston renewable energy co. rolls out new EV program

Octopus Energy announced its new program to help make the move to electric vehicle driving easier and more affordable for Texas residents. Photo via Getty Images

A Houston-based renewable energy provider has announced a new program to get more electric vehicle drivers on Texas roads.

Octopus Electric Vehicles, a new initiative from Houston-based Octopus Energy Group, announced its DriveFree leasing program to help make the move to electric vehicle driving easier and more affordable for Texas residents.

“DriveFree gives you the freedom to drive without worrying about the cost of filling the tank or unexpected maintenance expenses,” Octopus EV US Co-Lead Nathan Wyeth says in a news release. “With the ‘electric fuel’ for daily driving included, DriveFree is the complete package to make EVs work for Texas drivers looking to lower their driving costs without locking themselves in.”

DriveFree will include the lease of a top-quality pre-owned car with all maintenance covered. Part of this coverage includes unlimited home charging on Octopus Energy’s home energy plan.

According to Octopus Energy Group, Texas drivers will save an average of over $1,000 per year by switching from a gas car to an EV with potential to save even more depending on the previous gas vehicle make and model. Houstonians will be able to select an EV and DriveFree plan at OctopusEV.us, get approved online, and schedule delivery by an Octopus EV Specialist.

The program will cover all maintenance and tires through a mobile mechanic service to a customer’s home or office. Leasing plans range from one to four years with mileage plans up to 25,000 miles/year, and 4 brands to choose from.

In a report by SmartAsset, Texas was No. 41 of states with the most electric vehicle chargers. Last year, the city of Houston approved $281,000 funding for the expansion of free electric vehicle rideshare services in communities that are considered underserved by utilizing services like RYDE and Evolve Houston in December. DriveFree is now in the mix in helping Texas get more involved in the mix.

“With DriveFree, we wanted to address all the concerns people have about switching to electric vehicles,” Octopus EV US Co-Lead Chris George says in the news release. “For the millions of Houstonians commuting to work, driving electric can be a money saver today. For the first time, the more miles you drive, the more your savings will be!”

Octopus Electric Vehicles is part of the U.K.’s Octopus Energy Group, which first launched Octopus Energy US in Texas in 2020 after its acquisition of Evolve Energy.

Trending News

A View From HETI

Pattern Energy will now own one of the largest independent clean energy infrastructure platforms in North America. Photo via Getty Images

Clean energy and transmission infrastructure company Pattern Energy completed the acquisition of Canadian independent power producer Cordelio Power this month.

Pattern Energy, which is headquartered in San Francisco and has major operations in Houston, will now own one of the largest independent clean energy infrastructure platforms in North America, according to a release.

Pattern Energy will add approximately 1,550 megawatts of operating and in-construction assets, including 16 wind, solar and energy storage projects across the United States and Canada, as part of the deal. In addition, they have also acquired the majority of Cordelio’s development pipeline in key U.S. markets and members of Cordelio’s team.

“Closing this transaction marks a significant milestone for Pattern Energy as we continue to scale our platform to meet North America’s growing energy needs,” Hunter Armistead, CEO of Pattern Energy, said in the release. “Cordelio brings a highly complementary portfolio of quality assets and a talented team. Together, we are even better positioned to power the future.”

Currently, Pattern Energy’s portfolio includes wind, solar and energy storage projects in over 40 facilities in North America. Pattern Energy had 12,000 megawatts of operating and in-construction capacity before the deal.

The acquisition was first announced Jan. 6, 2025.

“Pattern and Cordelio share a commitment to responsible development and the communities in which we work,” Chris Hind, CEO of Cordelio Power, said in a news release. “We look forward to joining with Pattern Energy to deliver high-quality projects with expanded product offerings to support customers across more markets.”


Pattern Energy doubled down on its Houston commercial space in 2023, moving the company's development, meteorological, transmission and energy trading teams to a new office in the Montrose Collective. The company's Operations Control Center is also based in Houston.

Its Houston-based development team was assigned to work on Pattern's SunZia Transmission and Wind project in New Mexico and Arizona, expected to be one of the largest clean energy infrastructure projects in U.S. The project is targeting commercial operations this year, according to Pattern Energy's website.

Trending News