Plymouth is to become home to a state-of-the-art GRIDSERVE Electric Forecourt® that aims to make charging an Electric Vehicle (EV) more convenient, more enjoyable and much more affordable than using a traditional petrol forecourt. The development will put the city at the forefront of the UK’s low carbon transport revolution
- Planning permission has been granted for a GRIDSERVE Electric Forecourt® to be built on Outland Road, just north of Plymouth’s Home Park Stadium
- Plymouth’s first dedicated electric vehicle charging station will help support the City Council’s Climate Emergency Action Plan, including its ambition for the region to be net zero by 2030
- The Plymouth Electric Forecourt® will be supplied by 100% renewable, net zero carbon power, courtesy of GRIDSERVE’s ‘Sun-to-Wheel’ energy ecosystem
- Development includes 32 charging bays with industry-leading up to 350kW charging capability: enough for the latest EVs to add 100 miles of range in less than 10 minutes
- State-of-the-art facility will also include retail amenities including a coffee shop and EV leasing area, office pods and a premium lounge for drivers to relax while they charge
Plymouth is to become home to a state-of-the-art GRIDSERVE Electric Forecourt® that aims to make charging an Electric Vehicle (EV) more convenient, more enjoyable and much more affordable than using a traditional petrol forecourt. The development will put the city at the forefront of the UK’s low carbon transport revolution
Plans for the Plymouth Electric Forecourt® on the A386 / Outland Road have now been approved by Plymouth City Council following a detailed consultation. This landmark facility will feature 32 EV charging bays providing a maximum 350kW capacity, allowing the latest electric models to add 100 miles of range in less than 10 minutes. This allocation more than doubles the number of public chargers currently available in the region which, according to Zap-Map, only provide a maximum 50kW charging capacity.
The Plymouth Electric Forecourt®, described by GRIDSERVE as a compact design, will also feature a retail space suspended above industry-leading High Power chargers. Here, visitors will benefit from an on-site coffee shop, convenience retail including WHSmith and meeting rooms. Drivers can also enjoy an airport-style lounge with high-speed internet while they wait for their vehicles to charge. In keeping with GRIDSERVE’s sustainable values, the site will be powered entirely by net zero carbon energy.
In 2021, the UK’s first Electric Forecourt® in Braintree, Essex, was awarded Charging Destination of the Year at the Electric Vehicle Innovation & Excellence Awards while in early 2022, the Electric Forecourt® format received the coveted Innovation Award at the What Car? Car of the Year Awards, the first time a non-carmaker has received such an accolade.
The Plymouth Electric Forecourt® will not only offer the most reliable and fastest charging experience on offer anywhere in the UK, but thanks to GRIDSERVE’s commitment to renewable energy, it will also be one of the most sustainable. Pricing is yet to be confirmed, but even the most efficient petrol and diesel cars are likely to cost at least three times more to refuel than an electric vehicle using sustainable energy from the Plymouth Electric Forecourt®.
According to the research institution RAND Europe, Plymouth has one of the lowest EV adoption rates in the UK with just 283 electric vehicles registered in the region last year. Plymouth City Council declared a climate emergency in 2019, attributing 30% of the city’s total emissions to the transport sector. For the city, EVs and EV charge points will play a critical part in transport decarbonisation and helping the city achieve its net zero ambitions.
GRIDSERVE plans to deliver more than 100 Electric Forecourts® across the UK. It is also developing several large solar farms, supported by batteries, that will supply zero carbon or net zero carbon energy via the grid, ensuring that 100% of the energy provided to the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway is renewable, dependable and low cost.
ENDS
For further information on GRIDSERVE and to arrange interviews, please contact:
Will Spragg
will.spragg@greenhouse.agency
+44 7528 307 499
For non-media inquiries please contact:
connect@gridserve.com or visit www.gridserve.com/plymouth to explore the new site.
GRIDSERVE is interested in connecting with people and businesses interested in leasing electric vehicles, project developers, landowners, land agents, local authorities, and multiple other potential partners who share our vision in collaborating across all the critical power infrastructure markets we operate in, including Electric Forecourts®, hybrid solar farms, and remote power solutions.
