A nationwide network of electric forecourts is now under construction and will open this summer, offering convenient, ultra-fast, low-cost charging, with excellent customer experience.
As part of its £1bn programme, the forecourts will be built on busy routes and near powerful grid connections close to towns, cities and major transport hubs.
The Electric Forecourt being built near Braintree, Essex, UK can charge 24 electric vehicles at once with superchargers that can deliver up to 350kW of charging power.
It will allow people to charge vehicles within 20-30 minutes initially, and much faster in the future as battery technologies mature.
The network will be powered by clean, zero-carbon solar energy and battery storage projects, also constructed by Gridserve, so that carbon emission targets can be met, while keeping prices low.
The high tech two-storey building will house a coffee shop, convenience supermarket, as well as an airport-style lounge with high-speed internet and meeting rooms.
It will also function as an education centre for electric vehicles and sustainable energy, which will help people to understand, test drive, and secure vehicles that are most suitable for them.
The ultimate aim of is to provide the confidence, and support to transition to an all-electric future.
Gridserve’s Electric Forecourt, close to Braintree, is pioneering the world-class charging infrastructure that we need to support our policies and will inspire people in towns and cities throughout the country to have the confidence to make the move to sustainable transport.
James Cleverly, Minister of State, former Conservative Party chairman and MP for BraintreeSupporting the UK Government’s commitment to ban the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles within 15-years, the Gridserve aims to have a UK-wide network operational within five years.
The company is currently in discussions with a number of local authorities around the UK and expects to have several more sites in construction and many more into planning by the end of this year.
Toddington Harper, CEO and founder of Gridserve, said: “We’ve designed our Electric Forecourts entirely around the needs of electric vehicle drivers, updating the petrol station model for a net-zero carbon future.
“Many more people want to buy electric vehicles but are worried about how to charge them. We will help solve that challenge and deliver the confidence needed to make the switch to electric transport.
“This will be the most advanced charging facility in the UK, and possibly the world. Drivers will be able to turn up and charge their vehicle at the fastest rate each vehicle can support, using 100% renenewable energy, and with the best possible charging experience.”
Construction on the first Electric Forecourt’s on a 2.5 acre site adjacent to Great Notley, is supported by a £4.86 million grant from Innovate UK, one of the largest awarded last year.
The site has links to Stansted Airport, Chelmsford, Colchester and the M11 motorway.
A rapid switch to electric vehicles is essential to respond to the climate emergency and improve public health by cleaning up our air, but it is being held back by lack of fit-for-purpose charging infrastructure.
The firm is also developing several large solar farms, supported by batteries, to supply energy to its Electric Forecourt so that 100% of the electricity is clean and low cost.