Engenie has started the rollout of the UK’s very first rapid charging network, as supplied by global energy management specialist Schneider Electric.

In the first project of its kind in the UK, the rapid charge units will be installed nationwide over the next few months at Roadchef motorway service areas, across the country.

The charging points will allow drivers to fully recharge a depleted battery in as little as 30 minutes. The first of these was switched on yesterday at Roadchef’s Clacket Lane services area on the M25.

The technology employs a pay-as-you-go philosophy as opposed to subscription-based operation, allowing drivers to only pay for the energy that they need to put in their car.

Jeremy Littman, managing director of Engenie, said: “We are convinced that this will be one of the turning points which allows electric car ownership to go from a niche concern to a compromise-free alternative to petrol.

“To put it into context, a 30 minute rapid charge on one of Engenie’s charging stations can power an electric vehicle for over 100 miles, providing up to a 75% saving against a petrol equivalent so the payback period is rapid.

“Previously, if you wanted to make a long journey in an electric vehicle, you would face long charging periods of up to 8 hours.

“However, with a motorway-based network of chargers, this disadvantage is gone. We want to put the emphasis on the drivers’ needs and have designed and located the infrastructure with this in mind. ”