Lidl to install 300 EV chargepoints at its supermarkets

Lidl is the latest supermarket chain to announce they will be rolling out a network of electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints at its stores.

The German firm will spend £25m installing 300 rapid EV chargepoints over the next three years, which can charge vehicles from 0-80% charge in around 50 mins and will be operated by Pod Point.

The additions will mean that over a third of all Lidl stores will have rapid chargers by 2022.

Chargers will have their own allocated and marked parking bays for use, and stores with charge points can be viewed via the Lidl app or on Zap-Map and Pod Point’s maps, as and when they are rolled out.

Ingo Fischer, chief development officer for Lidl GB, said: ‘At Lidl, we are committed to tackling the environmental concerns that our customers care most about, whilst giving them access to solutions that will support them in their ambition to lead more sustainable lives.

‘Not only will our customers be able to charge their electric cars in 50 mins — less time than it takes to do a big shop — they will be able to do it for the best price on the market. It is our hope that, through this significant investment, we will enable easier access to charging points, ultimately helping more households switch to electric vehicles.’

Last week, Morrisons announced they would be installing 100 EV chargepoints at its stores.

The rapid chargers will charge an electric car six times quicker than standard charging points and it enables customers to fill their car up during a short shopping trip.

In August, a survey suggested that fears about a lack of charging points are the biggest factor behind people putting off the switch to EVs.

The survey also highlights concerns about limited battery range, with 57% of those surveyed saying this was still a barrier when it came to them considering buying an EV.

The findings come despite reports by the Department of Transport that there are now over 24,000 public charging connectors in almost 9,000 locations across the UK.

Photo Credit – Pixabay