UNITED KINGDOM – Gridserve, UK’s leading provider of sustainable energy solutions, has said that the first of a nationwide network of over 100 Electric Forecourts®is now under construction.
According to a Gridserve statement, the first electric forecourts would be ready before August and will offer customers ultra-fast, low-cost charging, with an outstanding customer experience.
“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,” said Toddington Harper, CEO and founder of GRIDSERVE.
The energy company added that once complete the network of charging units across the UK will solve electric vehicle charging concerns, and pave the way for electric vehicles to become mainstream in the earliest possible time frames.
“The Electric Forecourt®near Braintree, Essex, can charge 24 electric vehicles at once with superchargers that can deliver up to 350kW of charging power, enabling people to charge vehicles within 20-30 minutes initially, and much faster in the future as battery technologies mature,” Gridserve said in a statement.
The network of Electric Forecourts will be powered by clean, zero carbon solar energy and battery storage projects, also constructed by GRIDSERVE®, ensuring carbon emission targets can be met, whilst also keeping prices low.
Gridserve noted that drivers will be able to relax or shop in a state of the art two storey building while their vehicles charged.
The building will house a range of facilities including a coffee shop, convenience supermarket, and airport-style lounge with high-speed internet and meeting rooms.
The facility, which is being supported by a £4.86 million grant from Innovate UK, 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.
Gridserve said that the ultimate aim of the mixed use electric forecourt was to provide clients with the confidence, and support necessary motivate transition to an all electric future.
As part of its £1bn programme, GRIDSERVE is developing more than 100 Electric Forecourt® sites on busy routes and near powerful grid connections close to towns, cities and major transport hubs.
Supporting the UK Government’s commitment to ban the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles within 15-years, the company aims to have a UK-wide network operational within five years.
GRIDSERVE is also developing several large solar farms, supported by batteries, to supply energy to its Electric Forecourts® to ensure that 100% of the electricity is clean and low cost.
The company recently completed the UK’s most advanced solar farm, a 34.7MWp project at York with bifacial panels, sun trackers, and a 30MWh battery, and is completing a 25.7MWp project at Hull using similar technologies.