Plymouth Council approves development of GRIDSERVE Electric Forecourt®

Date: 20 June, 2022

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.

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 aims to put the city at the forefront of the UK’s low carbon transport revolution and will feature 32 High Power EV charging bays with a maximum 350kW capacity. This allocation allows the latest electric models to add 100-miles of range in less than 10 minutes and 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 its industry-leading High Power chargers. Here, visitors will benefit from an on-site coffee shop, convenience retail including WHSmith and rentable meeting pods. 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.

Toddington Harper, CEO of GRIDSERVE, said: “As EV registrations continue to skyrocket, it’s crucial that drivers are supported with reliable, convenient and affordable public charging infrastructure. Our state-of-the-art Electric Forecourt^® in Plymouth will support Plymouth City Council tackle air pollution, slash carbon emissions and support local residents switch to low carbon transport. By ensuring that all of the energy provided to the Electric Forecourt^® is 100% renewable, we’re not just building something new, but something better.”

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 realise its net zero ambition by 2030.

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