High-power European charging network IONITY has partnered with Village Hotels to open hundreds of ultra-rapid charge points in Great Britain.
The hotel chain will rely on IONITY to build and operate a total of 380 ultra-rapid charging points at all 33 Village Hotels in key locations across England, Scotland and Wales. The charging hubs will provide ultra-rapid charging at up to 350kW for both hotel guests and the public.
This is the largest partnership for IONITY in the UK and of course a key partnership with a hotel brand. The partnership provides the public with access not only to EV charging facilities at hotels, but also amenities to cater to all manner of needs.
“Partnering with Village Hotels is an exciting milestone for IONITY as it expands the public charging network significantly for all EV drivers in Great Britain”, said IONITY’s Country Manager of UK & Ireland, Andreas Atkins.
Indeed, nearly every IONITY charging hub at the 33 hotel sites will open with up to twelve ultra-rapid DC charging points on day one. IONITY expects all 33 sites to be operational by the end of 2024, but a phased opening approach will see the first sites go live as early as April 2024. At present, IONITY has around 115 charging devices across the UK, so the rollout represents a significant expansion of its network.
“This partnership brings us closer to our goal of ensuring EV charging is available to everyone as conveniently as possible across Europe, whilst providing access to fantastic amenities," Atkins continued. “The growth to IONITY’s network across Village Hotel’s sites will continue to improve EV drivers’ access to both long and short distance travel in the UK, without the concerns of range anxiety or charger queuing.”
As well as accommodation, the Village Hotels chain offers a range of services to guests. These include leisure facilities such as a gym and pool, a Pub & Grill serving freshly made food and showing live sports, a meeting & event space, a VWorks co-working space, and a Starbucks coffee shop.
“We are delighted to be working with IONITY on this exciting project," said Kelli Turner, Village Hotels Director of ESG.
"As well as providing EV users with a hugely valuable service, and additional 33 locations across Great Britain, this is a significant moment for us as we move towards a more sustainable future and aligned with our Village Green vision that underlies our ESG Strategy."
Turner continued: "This partnership forms part of a wide-ranging plan that will see us reduce our environmental impact and set science-based emissions targets. Other crucial changes include a move to 100% renewable energy across all hotels by the end of 2023."
