EV charge points to be installed at 600 Tesco stores
Pod Point, one of the largest electric vehicle (EV) charging companies in the UK will deliver hundreds of EV charge points across 600 Tesco stores in the UK.
Tesco, Volkswagen and the ethical bank Triodos have provided Pod Point with funding to deliver the charging bays at Tesco Extra and Superstore car parks.
The charging bays will include 7KW fast chargers – which will be free to use, 50kW rapid chargers which will be priced in line with market rates and 22kW chargers where 50kW rapids are placed.
According to Tesco, the electricity used to charge the EVs will come exclusively from renewable sources.
The Pod Point partnership with Tesco and Volkswagen was announced in 2018 and effectively created a new, sponsorship-based business model for EV charging
Tesco itself has set a goal to increase its business-wide energy sourcing from 65% renewables in 2020 and 100% by 2030.
Erik Fairbairn, Pod Point CEO and founder said: ‘We are witnessing a pivotal moment for the UK’s rapidly expanding public charging network.
‘Through our partnership with Tesco and Volkswagen, we are rolling out smart, easy-to-use charge points at a scale that is going to accelerate EV adoption in ways we haven’t seen before and make it easier than ever for drivers to go electric.’
Philip Bazin, head of the environment team at Triodos Bank UK, said: ‘Given our focus on sustainable and responsible finance, it is fundamental to Triodos to support projects, such as charging infrastructure for electric vehicles, which help us transition to a low-carbon, clean future.
‘The transport sector now has the highest greenhouse gas emissions of any industry in the UK, with passenger car road transport accounting for over 50% of these emissions.
‘We need the vision and capabilities of pioneering companies like Pod Point and mainstream businesses like Tesco wanting to deliver the change in our transport infrastructure that we need to see.’
In February 2020, energy giant EDF bought a majority stake in Pod Point, as part of a £110m deal alongside Legal & General.
Photo Credit – Triodos
