Zest electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions has opened new charging infrastructure at Doncaster’s Frenchgate shopping centre.
The shopping destination now has 14 EV charging bays, a combination of 22kW fast chargers and 50kW rapid chargers that match the typical length of visitors’ stays.
Last year,CACI research commissioned by Zest showed 82% of EV owners would choose a centre with an improved EV charging experience over another. Almost all survey respondents said they’d return to a shopping centre more often with the knowledge that it had reliable charging.
Frenchgate shopping centre has pledged to tackle climate change and EV infrastructure improvements are the most recent step in its goal of encouraging greener living.
Corinne Mycock, general manager of Frenchgate, said: “Frenchgate is committed to providing the same dedication to corporate social responsibility as it is to be offering an unrivalled retail and leisure experience.
“We welcome the introduction of our new EV infrastructure and are delighted that Zest chose Frenchgate as their next retail destination.”
A partnership for infrastructure accessibility
Zest shares a live data partnership with Zapmap to enable users of the Zapmap app and web map to access live status and availability information across Zest’s charging network.
“We know that people just want to charge where they park as part of their normal routine,” said Zest CEO Robin Heap.
“Forward-looking retail destinations like Frenchgate will thrive as a new wave of EV drivers establish their long-term charging habits.”
Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed that March of this year saw the highest new battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations since 2019. As uptake increases, ensuring infrastructure can support EV drivers is fundamental.
According to Zapmap’s data, collected to drive the app, March 2024 saw a 47% increase in the total number of charging devices compared to March 2023.
