Motor Fuel Group has added Ecotricity to the roll-out of electric vehicle chargers at its petrol station forecourts, with a small number already installed, before ChargePoint Services begins its installations next month.
The operator of the Electric Highway will expand its network into Greater London and the surrounding commuter belt after making an agreement to deploy new electricity pumps at 30 locations.
According to Motor Fuel Group, the second largest independent forecourt operator in the UK, a small number of test chargers have already been installed at its BP, Shell, Texaco, JET and Murco branded stations.
The remainder are set to be deployed in the first half of 2018 and will be operated by Ecotricity, which will charge the same price as the rest of its network.
After electing to introduce a fee on the network in July last year, the pricing structure underwent a number of changes before Ecotricity settled on £0.17/kWh with a £3 connection fee for all sessions in May. By comparison, Shell last week revealed it would be charging 49p/kWh on its Shell Recharge service.
The majority of petrol stations Ecotricity will install at are located in Greater London, with eight other installations taking place at “key commuter points” in the surrounding areas.
Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity and the Electric Highway, said: “Having established the network on motorways where it was needed most, we are now moving into the major towns and cities on petrol station forecourts. The day is coming where charging an electric vehicle will be no different to what we’ve come to expect – just popping to a forecourt to refuel.”
Meanwhile Clean Energy News understands that ChargePoint Services, which signed a deal at the end of August to install chargers at hundreds of MFG forecourts and add to its GeniePoint Network, will begin installations in November.
The GeniePoint Network offers charging for 30p/kWh with varying connection fees ranging between £1.80 to 50p depending on the location and speed of charging.
The addition by MFG of Ecotricity as an EV charging supplier and operator in addition to ChargePoint Services comes just days after the government unveiled its plans for the Automated and Electric Vehicle Bill.
This outlined powers to ensure motorway services and large petrol retailers install charge points for electric cars, as well as mandating that these chargers will be ‘smart’, meaning they can interact with the grid to help manage demand.
