GRIDSERVE buys Electric Highway charging network from Ecotricity

Ecotricity has completed the sale of its Electric Highway charging network to GRIDSERVE – the electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure firm.

The Electric Highway began a decade ago and played a pivotal role in kickstarting the country’s electric car revolution, enabling early adopters to drive the length and breadth of Britain. In a decade, charging has leapt from three-pin plugs and 7kW charging to the current state-of-the-art 350kW, capable of providing 100 miles of charge in around five minutes, while typical car range has increased from 80 miles to over 300.

GRIDSERVE are ramping up investment in the Electric Highway with the replacement of all the existing chargers on the network with new technology that features all the latest advances including contactless payment – and the opening last month of the first high power charging facility at Moto’s new flagship Motorway services at Rugby, featuring 12 x 350kW chargers.

Dale Vince OBE, Founder of Ecotricity, said: “We’ve reached an interesting point in the electric car revolution, exponential growth is just around the corner, the technology for charging has evolved with one standard and an incredible rate of charging now being possible – using an electric car is almost on a par with using a fossil powered car, where you can just top up once every week or two. And the Electric Highway needs a growth spurt, to make sure that it stays ahead of driver demand and continues to play it’s key role, as the network that delivers more miles every year than any other. For this the Electric Highway needs an owner with access to serious funding and real commitment to the cause – I’m delighted to have found the ideal company to hand the baton to, in GRIDSERVE.”

Toddington Harper, CEO of GRIDSERVE, added: “It’s a real honour for GRIDSERVE to have been chosen by Ecotricity as the organisation to take the Electric Highway forward in its next phase. Our purpose is to deliver sustainable energy and move the needle on climate change, and the upgraded network will provide the confidence for millions more people to make the successful transition to electric vehicles in the earliest possible timeframes.”

Image: Shutterstock.

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