Electric vehicle infrastructure company Chargepoint Services and Motor Fuel Group (MFG) have announced an agreement to roll-out forecourt electric vehicle chargers.
According to the companies, the project is the first of its kind in the UK.
MFG is the second-largest independent forecourt operator with 413 stations. It operates sites on behalf of a number of brands including BP, Shell, Texaco, Jet and Murco.
Chargepoint says it will install 50kW rapid chargers at the sites. Once installed, the chargers will become part of the GeniePoint network, which is run by Chargepoint.
A spokeswoman for the infrastructure company confirmed to BusinessCar that all 413 sites would receive chargers.
“The roll-out is immediate and it’ll be finished as quickly as we can, but it’s a case of putting poles in the ground as quickly as possible,” she said.
“Electric vehicle charging is now a critical public service, and we are on target to provide the most reliable, widespread rapid charging facilities across the UK for drivers of electric vehicles, backed up by our excellent, continuous customer care programme,” said Alex Bamberg, managing director of Chargepoint Services.
Jeremy Clarke, MFG’s chief operating officer, said: “We are delighted to be extending our fuel offer to customers. The growth of the electric and hybrid vehicle market is an important part of the fuel mix going forward. MFG is determined to be at the forefront of this technology, satisfying this growing demand.”
Last month, Chargepoint placed an order for 50 new rapid chargers. These units will be built by French EV hardware supplier EVTronic in a deal worth £1 million, Chargepoint said, with the first unit due for delivery by the end of August and the rest arriving within the next three months.
According to EVTronic, the unit features smart energy storage systems, meaning that when it is not being used to recharge an electric vehicle battery it will automatically store electricity then deliver it in a quick burst when a vehicle is connected.
The company also claims the units are able to keep pace with the expected growth in vehicle battery sizes in the coming years.
