New fast charging stations to be installed at Stellantis dealerships

A network of fast charging stations will be installed at Stellantis dealerships across Europe by the end of 2024.

Stellantis says that when finished it will add 400 new charging locations with up to 1,600 connectors.

The charging stations will be co-branded Free2move Charge and each site will be equipped with multiple fast charging stations.

Stellantis brand EV customers will access preferential charging tariffs through the Free2move Charge Go App.

“The new fast charging stations in Stellantis network will integrate both the customers and Stellantis dealers into the same sustainable and virtuous journey,” said Danilo Annese, head of global retail at Stellantis.

Raw Charging launches at first National Trust sites

Raw Charging has announced it has electrified chargers at the first four National Trust locations.

A further 21 sites are under development and are expected to be installed by mid-2024.

Each location has been designed to provide larger bays to enhance accessibility, supporting visitors to make more sustainable journeys to National Trust places.

Most chargers will be AC destination chargers allowing visitors to charge during their day spent enjoying National Trust’s estates, houses and gardens.

However, DC rapid charging hubs will be made available at a small number of National Trust places where the visit time is shorter than standard, or if the location is convenient for drivers to charge during a short break from longer journeys.

Once complete, the rollout is expected to be one of Raw’s largest, investing up to £12 million in the project.

Jason Simpson, CEO of Raw Charging, said: “We are investing significant capital in the National Trust partnership as we continue to deliver reliable and affordable EV charging for the hospitality, leisure and retail sectors.

“Raw has become the go-to provider for EV charging due to our reliable hardware, cradle-to-grave support and focus on making the driver journey as seamless as possible.”

Patrick Begg, outdoors and natural resources director, National Trust, added: “We are pleased to be able to offer EV charging for visitors to Charlecote Park.

“This is the first location in our portfolio to have charging facilities, providing visitors with the opportunity to charge their EV whilst visiting the beautiful historic house and deer park.”

Extra MSA expands EV charging provision with Ionity

Extra MSA Group has announced the installation of a further 12 ultra-rapid Ionity charge points at Cobham Services, taking the total number of 350kW ultra-fast charging points at Cobham from six to 18.

Extra benefited from a £3.8 million power upgrade by UK Power Networks through its Green Recovery programme allowing it to expand its existing partnership with Ionity.

The UK’s number one motorway service operator has set out its ambitions to become the first MSA operator to surpass the Government’s 2022 target of installing at least six EV chargers at each service area on motorways.

Having already installed 38 Ionity charging points with a high-speed charging capacity of up to 350kW across all eight of its MSA locations, Extra plans to further expand its EV offering with Ionity across five of its sites by the end of next year.

Tom Dobson, CEO at Extra MSA Group, said: “We are committed to providing all road users with a safe, comfortable and reliable place to stop, rest and recharge.

“Not satisfied with having already met the Government’s 2023 targets for EV chargers, we now want to fully exceed them, and our IONITY partnership is a fantastic way of enabling us to do just that.”

Andreas Atkins, country manager UK and Ireland at Ionity, added: “We look forward to working closely with Extra over the coming years to provide even more EV drivers with access to convenient, ultra-fast, and emission-free charging, enabling them to continue their journey with ease.”

Allstar expands Alphabet partnership

Allstar has expanded its existing partnership with Alphabet (GB) to offer on-the-road and home charging payment solutions to its customers. 

Allstar has supplied Alphabet customers with fuel card solutions throughout their 15-year partnership and this latest development will help streamline payment options for drivers and fleet managers.

Through the Allstar One Electric all-in-one charging and fuel payment solution, customers will be able to manage all fuel types on one payment card, including the ability to pay for EV charging across a multi-branded and rapidly expanding electric charging network.

The total number of charge points accessible through the Allstar network now stands at more than 14,000, at 4,000-plus locations across the UK, of which 91% of chargers are fast, rapid, and ultra-rapid.

Ashley Tate, managing director of Allstar Chargepass UK, said: “Alphabet is a key partner of ours with a shared passion for being at the forefront of mobility solutions.

“We’re thrilled we’ve been able to add to our already fruitful partnership by providing them with our on-the-road and at home EV solutions so that their customers can benefit from added convenience and simplified charging payments.” 

David Rose, head of product and governance at Alphabet (GB), added: “By expanding our long-standing partnership with Allstar, we’re reinforcing our commitment to ensuring fleets of all sizes get the expert support and solutions they need to break down barriers and supercharge EV adoption.

“Alphabet currently operates a fleet of over 55,000 electrified cars and vans in the UK, and 70% of new cars ordered this year have been either partially or fully electric.” 

ChargePoint launches Total Cost of Ownership calculator

ChargePoint has launched a ‘Total Cost of Ownership’ calculator designed to shed light on the benefits of electric vehicle (EV) ownership.

The calculator is interactive, allowing users to see how much they could save based on their own personal circumstances, such as whether they are able to charge at home, cost of their electricity tariff, yearly distance travelled and other factors.

“With the dual threats of inflation and the climate crisis, it is more important than ever to ensure that people know the benefits of driving electric,” said André ten Bloemendal, senior vice president Europe at ChargePoint.  

“The discrepancy between this reality and how expensive people in the UK think EVs are demonstrative of the lack of awareness about EVs and their benefits in the UK.”

Dynamon launches free EV transition test offer 

Dynamon has launched a free EV transition test for fleet operators, suppliers and consultants who want to find out if ICE vans can go electric, without the need for them to supply their telematics data.

The EV Transition Test is intended to provide a comparison between existing petrol or diesel commercial vehicles in operation, and a selection of electric alternatives.

Using its software Zero, it uses the same type of algorithms used by aerospace engineers when creating simulations in aircraft development.

Dynamon CEO Angus Webb said: “We decided to launch this free trial of our software so fleet operators, suppliers and consultants can begin to build a picture of what they will need to go electric.

“Zero can do amazing things and build a complete picture of everything a fleet needs to get the transition to electric right.

“This trial means fleets can look at a vehicle for free and with no obligation and get a really clear picture of what will be required to switch from ICE to EV.”

Henderson Group and BP Pulse roll out charge point network

Henderson Group and BP Pulse have signed an agreement to work together to install up to 200 electric vehicle (EV) charge points in Northern Ireland.

The chargers will be installed at around 100 Henderson retail sites across Northern Ireland within the next two years, including at 30 BP branded Henderson retail locations.

Ron Whitten, chief financial officer at Henderson Group, said: “The demand for ultra-fast charging points in Northern Ireland is high. Current figures from the Department for Transport show there are currently around 18,762 ultra-low emission vehicles registered in the region, an increase of 55% in the past two years alone.

“This steep trajectory of the volume of electric vehicles on the road is only going to continue, yet Northern Ireland has just 60 ultra-fast charge points in operation.”

With this roll-out BP Pulse aspires to create one of the region’s largest networks of ultra-fast and rapid EV charging, aiming to add up to 15,000 kW of charging capacity.

Akira Kirton, CEO of BP Pulse UK, added: “Working with Henderson Group, a retail network that dominates the market in Northern Ireland, we have the opportunity and aspiration to create one of the largest networks of ultra-fast and rapid charging points – meeting the rise in demand for now and in the future.”

Leasys UK and Octopus Electroverse join forces

Leasys UK and Octopus Energy’s Electroverse are partnering to offer customers access to over 620,000 charging points across the United Kingdom and Europe. 

Octopus’ EV roaming service for charging on-the-go removes the need for multiple apps and provides access to over 580 charge point brands.

Matthew Boswell, Leasys UK country manager said: “We are very enthusiastic about the partnership with Octopus Energy’s Electroverse, an innovative company with which we share our values.

“We both are client-focused, we both care about the environment, and both want what’s best for our customers in terms of expertise and services to make their transition and journey to electrification an easy one.”