Gridserve has begun deploying ABB E-Mobility’s new 400kW-capable A400 chargers on its ‘Electric Highway’ EV charging network.
The first set of 400kW chargers has been installed at Centaurus Park in Bristol, around a mile from Junction 17 of the M5. The unit is the first of a new generation of ultra-rapid chargers the company plans to roll out across its network.
The company has delivered more than 200 charging locations in the past five years, including coverage at 85% of the UK’s motorway network. It says the new hardware is intended to tackle three of the biggest challenges facing public EV charging today: reliability, simplicity and operational efficiency.
Gridserve makes it pitch
Gridserve has made reliability a huge part of its pitch. That’s important because it acquired the Electric Highway network from Ecotricity – a network that had long been the subject of complaints, including that the chargers were old, poorly maintained and frequently out of service. Those complaints led the network to rank 16 out of 16 on Zap-Map’s 2020 EV charging survey.
It wasn’t until June 2021 that Gridserve would acquire the Electric Highway network, and since then it has made every effort to replace old chargers and improve the network’s reliability. All that effort led to it being named the ‘most improved’ network in the 2021 Zap-Map survey, and as of 2025, it’s now the most used EV charging network available. It’s not yet been able to move out of the number five slot when it comes to best charging networks, however.
The new 400kW-capable charging units may help with that. That’s because the A400 has been designed to meet the reliability and uptime expectations set out in the UK Public Charging Point Regulation (UK PCPR), with Gridserve targeting a 98% charging success rate across its network.
“Our goal has always been to make EV charging easy and as dependable as filling up your car with petrol or diesel,” said Rebecca Trebble, Chief Customer Officer at Gridserve.
“By partnering with ABB E-mobility to introduce the A400, we’re setting a new benchmark for performance and reliability, both for the Gridserve Electric Highway and for the UK. This technology allows us to deliver faster charging and an even smoother customer experience at scale.”
400kW charging and simplified user interface
ABB E-mobility’s A400 is capable of delivering up to 400kW of ultra-rapid charging power. According to the companies, that is sufficient for the latest EVs to add more than 100 miles of range in under 10 minutes, depending on the vehicle.
Two CCS charging ports allow two vehicles to charge at the same time, while dynamic power sharing enables the available power to be modulated between both vehicles based on their individual charging profiles.
The charger also features a new 32-inch touchscreen interface, which is intended to make the process of plugging in, selecting a tariff and paying more intuitive for drivers. Gridserve says the interface has been developed to guide users through each step of the process and to support consistent operation across its estate.
Bruno Bourguet, Head of Europe Region and Channels, commented, “Innovation in charging technology is key to making electric driving effortless, and Gridserve’s deployment of our latest A400 charger marks a milestone for UK drivers.
“The A400 has been built from the ground up to bring reliability, scalability and performance to EV charging. With its intuitive design, including an award-winning user experience and interface, it sets a new benchmark for easy-to-use and easy-to-operate charging.”
