Do you know where you can find the UK’s first all-electric forecourt for electric cars?
The answer is just outside Braintree on the A131 in Essex. Yes, in December 2020 Britain’s first Gridserve Electric Forecourt opened, powered by 100% renewable energy.
Described by the Guardian as a ‘super-fast electric forecourt’, it can deliver a charging power range of between 7kW and 350kW to up to 36 cars at a time. That’s enough juice to last 200 miles.
Gridserve, the clean energy company behind the forecourt, plan to open over 100 more all-electric forecourts across the country over the next five years.
Gridserve CEO Toddington Harper said, “We’re not a service station. There are about 150 service stations in the UK that allow people to get from A to B, and people just pass through. But there are 8400 petrol stations, whose primary need is serving the local community, and that’s what this is. The primary purpose of this electric forecourt is to serve the local community.”
Speaking at the time of the opening, transport minister, Rachel Maclean, said, “As we accelerate towards cleaner and greener transport, I’m delighted to see the future of service stations being brought to life with the opening of the UK’s first all-electric forecourt.”
A solution that’s even closer to home
Nothing beats the convenience of having an at-home EV car charger for your electric vehicle. Plus, you could also get a £350 grant from the government to offset some of the upfront costs of having it installed.
Previously known as the OLEV grant, the Electrical Vehicle Homecharge scheme (often referred to as EVHS) is a grant of up to £350 towards the cost of an at-home chargepoint and its installation.
To qualify, you must own, lease, or have ordered a qualifying vehicle and have dedicated off-street parking at your home.
As EV car charger experts, we’re perfectly placed to apply for the grant on your behalf and install the perfect charging solution at your property. To get started, get in touch today on info@essexcarcharger.co.uk