Gridserve announces plans for 100 Electric Forecourts

Gridserve has announced plans to build a UK-wide network of more than 100 electric forecourts which will offer low cost charging for all types of EVs

Each Electric Forecourt will have dedicated zones for both private and fleet vehicles, such as taxis, buses, delivery vehicles and heavy goods vehicles.

It will take less than 30-minutes to charge most vehicles, during which time drivers will be able to take advantage of a range of facilities including a coffee shop, fresh food, convenience supermarket, and airport-style lounge with high-speed internet. These will also serve as an education centre and hub to explore a broad range of electric vehicle solutions.

Gridserve’s £1 billion programme, which the government promoted in the UK’s first Energy Investment Portfolio, involves the company building new solar farms to supply the forecourts with clean, low cost energy, and installing multi-megawatt batteries to provide grid services that support the rapid uptake of EVs and additional renewable energy capacity.

Construction is scheduled to start on the first sites later this year at York and Hull, where Gridserve is building the UK’s most advanced solar farms.

Toddington Harper, CEO and founder of Gridserve, said:

“We plan to make charging electric vehicles as easy as using petrol stations. The latest generation of electric vehicles are awesome, and ready for mainstream adoption, but drivers still worry about if or where they can charge, how long it will take, and what it will cost. We plan to eliminate any range or charging anxiety by building a UK-wide network of customer-focussed, brand new Electric Forecourts® that will make it easier and cheaper to use an electric vehicle than a petrol or diesel alternative.

“Within five years we plan to have more than 100 Electric Forecourts® in use, with each supported by solar energy and battery storage. This infrastructure will accelerate the electric vehicle revolution, serve the grid, and help the UK meet climate and clean air targets. We are partnering with operators of fleet vehicles, developers, financiers of vehicles and infrastructure, EV manufacturers, retailers, local authorities, and others who share our vision.”

The company is also developing an App to support the driver experience at each forecourt, which will help people to plan journeys better, reserve charging slots, and pay for ancillary on-site services such as car washing.

The App will also play a central role in loyalty and referral schemes that will reward people for using onsite services provided by Gridserve and its partners.

Gridserve's partners in the project include ChargePoint, which operates the world’s largest EV charging network.

Christopher Burghardt, Managing Director, Europe, ChargePoint, said: “The electric mobility revolution is upon us and ChargePoint continues to work to help create an open and accessible network that enables drivers to enjoy an effortless charging experience everywhere they live, work and play throughout Europe. ChargePoint is committed to collaborating with partners like Gridserve to build out the EV charging network of tomorrow and make driving electric vehicles more accessible and seamless than ever. Gridserve’s Electric Forecourts bring the driver experience to the fore, which will be the key to make electric travel throughout the UK easier.”

The forecourts have been designed and engineered in partnership with Arup. Ricky Sandhu, Lead Designer, Arup Architecture and Senior Consultant at Arup, said:

“It is vitally important that we transition quickly to sustainable, clean new modes of transportation and energy production. Arup is extremely proud to be supporting Gridserve in their mission to provide state-of-the-art, sustainable, new electric charging infrastructure - the Electric Forecourt® - for our growing populations. Our sense of responsibility for the built environment and our commitment to shape a better world by leveraging new technologies, and sustainable energy, combined with of cutting-edge design makes for a perfect partnership with Gridserve.”

Gridserve’s £1 billion programme is one of 11 in a £5 billion portfolio of energy and infrastructure projects across the UK which the Department for International Trade has selected to promote to global investors.

At its launch, the Minister for Investment, Graham Stuart MP said:

“As well as creating jobs and prosperity, these projects will reduce bills and deliver huge benefits for the environment."

Gridserve has already secured 80 sites on busy routes, near powerful grid connections close to towns, cities, and major transport hubs. Location permitting, the company will also build new solar farms adjacent to the forecourts which will supply their electricity directly.

The York and Hull projects will use technology new to the UK to increase solar generation by at least 20 per cent. Bifacial solar panels will generate energy on both sides and trackers will follow the sun to maximise generation and smooth production over the whole day.