UK’s first ‘Electric Forecourt’ opens in preparation for EV-led future

GRIDSERVE's electric forecourt is located near Braintree, in Essex

Sustainable energy company GRIDSERVE has today announced that the UK’s first Electric Forecourt is open for business, in what it has called a major breakthrough for massive expansion of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in the UK.

The site is the first of over 100 being built by GRIDSERVE over the next five years, which it hopes will provide people with the confidence that the UK will have the charging infrastructure required for mass electric vehicle (EV) adoption well ahead of the 2030 ban on petrol and diesel cars.

GRIDSERVE says the Braintree Electric Forecourt enables 36 electric vehicles to be charged simultaneously, with high-power chargers that can deliver up to 350kW of charging power, enabling people to add 200 miles of range in 20 minutes. Alongside GRIDSERVE, the project has been funded by Hitachi Capital, Innovate UK and OZEV.

Drivers charging at the Electric Forecourt will, according to GRIDSERVE, initially pay just 24p per kWh of energy (including VAT), meaning a typical charge from 20 per cent to 80 per cent would cost under £10 for an average-size electric vehicle on the market today.

“Today’s announcement represents a major milestone in achieving GRIDSERVE’s purpose to deliver sustainable energy and move the needle on climate change. It’s our collective responsibility to prevent greenhouse gas emissions rising further, and electric vehicles powered by clean energy represent a large part of the solution” said Toddington Harper, Founder and CEO of GRIDSERVE.

“However, charging has to be simple and free of anxiety, which is why we’ve designed our Electric Forecourts entirely around the needs of drivers, updating the traditional petrol station model for a net-zero carbon world and delivering the confidence people need to make the switch to electric transport today – a full decade ahead of the 2030 ban on petrol and diesel cars.”

GRIDSERVE says a charge from 20 per cent to 80 per cent will take just 20 minutes at its rapid charging points.

James Cleverly, Minister of State, former Conservative Party Chairman and MP for Braintree, said: “Our government is committed to increasing the take-up of electric vehicles, to clean our air and enable us to achieve net zero carbon emissions as quickly as possible, which is why we have just brought forward the ban on new petrol or diesel to 2030.

“GRIDSERVE’s Electric Forecourt, close to Braintree, is the most advanced charging facility in the world and is pioneering the world-class infrastructure required to support our policies and drive the confidence we need to make the move to sustainable transport in the UK.”

Transport Minister, Rachel Maclean, said: “As we accelerate towards cleaner and greener transport, I’m delighted to see the future of service stations being brought to life with the opening of the UK’s first all-electric forecourt.

“Government funding has helped make this dream a reality and with £2.8bn of support to encourage the uptake of zero emission vehicles, there has never been a better time to make the switch.”