Free 7kW charging for electric vehicles (EV) is being offered at four Tesco stores by provider Pod Point, as part of a new a pilot scheme. Under the pilot, EV drivers who visit Tesco stores in Crawley, Slough, Beckenham and Watford can use Pod Point’s newly installed Info Chargepoints to power up their cars FREE of charge while they shop. Visitors to the Crawley and Slough stores will have the additional option of affordable rapid charging at a speed of up to 50kW – enough to charge an average EV up to 80 per cent in just 30 minutes – at a cost of 24p/kWh.
The two-month trial was initiated after a survey of Tesco customers found 84% wanted EV charging to be available at the retailer’s stores. Success of the pilot will be measured against a number of metrics, including usage, before a decision is made on whether to offer the free charging on a permanent basis. The pilot is being sponsored by Nissan, which manufactures the Leaf, currently the UK’s bestselling EV.
Erik Fairbairn, CEO of Pod Point, said: “As more drivers make the switch to EVs, we’re delighted to have launched this pilot, which gives EV drivers more options for charging up while they’re on the move. With public charging, we believe offering a combination of free fast-charging and affordable rapid charging is the best way to meet EV drivers’ diverse requirements and we’re excited to see if the way EV drivers use these chargers is in line with our expectations.”
A lack of infrastructure is one of the most frequently cited barriers limiting EV take-up. In July the government added momentum to the rollout of EV infrastructure when it announced plans to ban the sale of new diesel and petrol cars by 2040.
Visit www.podpoint.com to find out more EVs and chargers.
