GRIDSERVE has revealed its plans to transform electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in the UK, and has officially launched the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway.
This will entail a UK-wide network of more than 50 high power ‘Electric Hubs’ with 6-12 x 350kW chargers in each, plus almost 300 rapid chargers installed across 85% of the UK’s motorway service stations, and more than a 100 GRIDSERVE Electric Forecourts® in development. The overall objective is to establish a UK-wide network that people can rely on, without range or charging anxiety, wherever they live in the UK, and whatever type of electric vehicle they drive. The news comes just a few weeks after the acquisition of the Electric Highway from Ecotricity.
In just six weeks since acquiring the Electric Highway, GRIDSERVE has installed new 60kW+ chargers at locations from Land’s End to John O’Groats. The entire network of almost 300 old Ecotricity chargers, at more than 150 locations on motorways and IKEA stores, is on track to be replaced by September, enabling any type of EV to charge with contactless payment options, and doubling the number of simultaneous charging sessions by offering dual charging from single chargers.
In addition, more than 50 high-powered ‘Electric Hubs’, featuring 6-12 x 350kW chargers capable of adding 100 miles of range in just 5 minutes, will be delivered to motorway sites across the UK, a programme that will see an additional investment, expected to exceed £100m.
GRIDSERVE Electric Highway’s first Motorway Electric Hub, a bank of 12 high power 350kW GRIDSERVE Electric Highway chargers alongside 12 x Tesla Superchargers, was opened to the public in April at Rugby Services.
It will act as a blueprint for all future sites, with more than 10 new Electric Hubs, each featuring 6-12 high power 350kW chargers per location, expected to be completed this year – starting with motorways services deployments in Reading (East and West), Thurrock, and Exeter, and Cornwall Services.
GRIDSERVE Electric Highway’s first Motorway Electric Hub opened at Rugby Services in April.
Funding to achieve GRIDSERVE’s ambitions is being supported by a new investor in GRIDSERVE, The Rise Fund, TPG’s global impact investing platform. The investment in GRIDSERVE sits alongside GRIDSERVE’s existing shareholder Hitachi Capital (UK) PLC.
“GRIDSERVE’s purpose is to deliver sustainable energy and move the needle on climate change, and the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway – a network of easy-to-use, reliable, rapid and high power chargers right across the UK – is doing just that, eliminating charging anxiety and making driving electric an enjoyable, ultra-convenient and stress-free experience,” said Toddington Harper, CEO of GRIDSERVE.
“I was named after Toddington Services, built almost 60 years ago,” he said, speaking from the location itself. “In that time, vehicle technology has incrementally improved however still remains noisy, polluting and is ultimately detrimental to a stable climate. Now, in just a few years, we will see one of the most rapid and far-reaching revolutions in the history of transport.
“We’re working at a phenomenal pace to rollout cutting-edge charging infrastructure and will continue to move heaven and earth to install new chargers en-mass in as many locations as we can, and as quickly as possible.”
