Pod Point public EV charge points have been installed at 200 Tesco sites, as part of a partnership including Volkswagen to roll-out 2,400 units in the UK.
The 200th site – Tesco Chester – also marked the 402nd unit installed, with at least two 7 kW devices – making up four connectors/parking bays – fitted to each site.
Plans are to install 2,400 charge points across 600 Tesco stores, following a deal announced between Tesco, Pod Point, and Volkswagen in November 2018. Installations started in 2019, with EV drivers able to recharge their car for free whilst shopping.
All electricity used comes from renewable sources, and the 400+ charge points installed to date have already supplied more than 669 MWh of energy. This is the equivalent of 3 million miles in a VW e-Golf, saving almost 375,000 g/km CO2 compared to an average petrol car.
Erik Fairbairn, Founder and CEO, Pod Point said: “Our partnership with Tesco and Volkswagen is making it easier for drivers to go electric and will help speed up the transition to EVs. Vehicle electrification is one of the most powerful ways to stop travel damaging the earth.”
Jason Tarry, Tesco CEO UK & ROI, said: “We’re now well on our way to achieving our ambition of installing more than 2,400 EV charging bays across 600 Tesco stores. The 200th store is a landmark moment as we get back up and running with this programme after the Covid-19 pandemic meant we had to delay our plans.
“Providing customers with charging points offers them a sustainable choice and giving them the opportunity to charge their car for free while they shop is a little help to make this easier.”
With the latest update, there are now EV charge points at 12% of the total Tesco store footprint – 200 of 1,678 stores with car parking. That will grow to 36% once plans are complete. The partnership is on track to install a further 200 stores by the end of the year.
You can find Zap-Map’s supermarket EV charge point analysis, carried out earlier this year, here.
