Gridserve has unveiled a new compact Electric Forecourt design as part of its new charging hub on the outskirts of Norwich.
When Gridserve first debuted its Electric Forecourt concept in Braintree, Essex, the company showcased a sprawling utopia of electric vehicle chargers, convenience facilities, shops and eateries. While the new compact design doesn’t lose any of those conveniences, the company has elevated the service station’s facilities above the chargers to better utilise the space.
The new Electric Forecourt in Norwich offers 36 EV chargers, including 22 rapid chargers up to 350 kW of power, and forms part of Gridserve’s £1 billion commitment to supercharging the UK’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
The Norwich Electric Forecourt more than doubles the number of high-powered chargers in the region, providing essential charging infrastructure that delivers drivers the confidence to go electric. Norwich and the wider East of England region currently have comparatively low EV charger coverage compared to other regions in the UK – hosting just 29 chargers per 100,000 people compared to the UK average of 42 per 100,000 people, or 102 per 100,000 people in London.
The immediate 10 km radius area of the new Norwich Electric Forecourt has over 40,000 households with no access to off-street parking to accommodate home charging. The result is that currently EVs only account for 1% of cars on the road in the Norwich area. In addition to this, Norwich received government funding to assess the viability of a zero-emission zone in the city in a bid to cut air pollution from the city centre. If the plan goes ahead, all petrol and diesel vehicles could be banned from the city, making emission free electric vehicles essential.
It’s hoped that the installation of the Electric Forecourt will lead to an increased uptake in electric vehicles in the local area. Gridserve notes that since the company opened the world’s first Electric Forecourt in Braintree, Essex in 2020, the district has seen a significant uptake in EV registrations, growing by 82% – more than double the UK’s average rate of EV growth.
Toddington Harper, CEO of GRIDSERVE, noted, “This decade is crucial for climate action and it’s vital that we deliver the solutions that will move the needle on climate change. The widespread transition to electric vehicles, powered by sustainable energy, is a key part of what’s needed.
“Giving drivers the confidence to switch to an electric vehicle and enabling a widespread transition away from fossil fuel vehicles is a central aim of our Electric Forecourts. That’s why we have put the consumer at the heart of our design, with our Electric Forecourts serving the needs of local communities in their transition to electric vehicles.
“Norwich Electric Forecourt showcases a brand new design, where we have been able to provide both charging and a great customer experience in a smaller footprint than our first site at Braintree. By elevating the facilities above the chargers, we make the best use of the space available and are able to deliver a great EV experience without compromise, even when space is at a premium and sites are more constrained.”
Gridserve continues to accelerate its rollout plans with additional Electric Forecourts now in progress, including one at Gatwick Airport. Several additional Electric Forecourts also have planning permission including Uckfield, Gateshead, Plymouth and Stevenage with more than 30 additional sites also under development as part of the company’s commitment to deliver over 100 Electric Forecourts.