UK: Tesco opens 500th EV charging location
The retailer reached the milestone through the expansion of its nationwide network of chargers alongside Volkswagen and Pod Point.
Tesco has expanded its free electric vehicle charging network to 500 stores nationwide with the opening of its latest EV charging location. The retailer has partnered with Volkswagen and Pod Point to offer e-mobility customers a charging service without additional costs.
According to the company, free charging sessions on the network increased from 500,000 in April 2021 to more than two million by the end of February. Usage over the chargers has surged by 300 per cent over the past year as customers show that having the chargers is a bonus for them while shopping.
“We’re thrilled to see the rollout of free EV charging at our retail stores gather pace. The network is helping customers visiting Tesco who need to save time and charge while they shop. This latest milestone highlights the commitment across the business to our goal of carbon neutrality in the UK by 2035,” said Jason Tarry, CEO at Tesco UK & ROI.
The 500th charging location was opened at the Tesco Extra store in Inverness as the network boosts local infrastructure. Since Tesco, Volkswagen and Pod Point launched the network in 2019, the charging points have provided more than 41 million miles of free electric driving to motorists. The network’s 7kW chargers and 22kW chargers are free to use, and its 50kW rapid chargers are available at a competitive rate for customers requiring more than a top-up.
As the network only uses renewable energy, this milestone represents a saving of 8,786 tonnes of CO2 compared with travelling the same distance in a typical car with an internal combustion engine. Designed to offer Tesco customers an accessible way to top up their electric cars, the network of more than 1,000 chargers at 500 Tesco Supermarkets in the UK also now includes 100 rapid chargers.
