Drive Energi & pub giant Greene King strike charging deal
The British fast-charging network Drive Energi and Greene King, that operates 2,700 pubs, restaurants and hotels across the UK, have made a deal. The partnership will see Drive Energi install one of the largest rapid-charging networks at retail locations in the country’s north-west.
Drive Energi relies on Tritium 50kW DC charge points in this case and says these will be powered by renewable energy and available to use via a ‘Pay As You Go’ tariff all year round with no subscription required. Contactless payment is enabled. The Greene King rollout is to see charge points installed across the firm’s property portfolio, including its Farmhouse Inns, Chef and Brewer and Hungry Horse brands. Overall, they designated 300 sites for the fast-charging network.
The first sites are to go live across the UK north west before the end of 2020. More specifically, Greene King operated sites across Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Lancashire will become the first live charge point locations as part of the initial phase of deployment, with a wider roll-out taking place across the UK over the next three years.
Drive Energi chief executive James Moat considers the deal “a significant milestone”. The company announced last year plans to set up 2,500 fast-charging locations across the UK by 2025 as reported. Already then they decided to go with Tritium for its 50kW Veefil-RT chargers although the network also includes 22kW chargers.
Tony Hodgson, head of estates at Greene King, said the company has been “working hard” to develop its sustainability plans and as part of this, wants to support its customers by offering EV charging in the pubs that “are able to do so”.
With Drive Energi serving as operator of the newly to be installed charge points, this suggests that the network will not be exclusive to Greene King customers but open to the public. A request for information has yet to be answered.
In the accompanying press release, Drive Energi CEO Moat stressed the company’s commitment to the roll-out of accessible public charging across the UK. He added, “drivers can expect to charge from over 300 Drive Energi locations by the end of 2021”.
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