Secretary of State for Transport Heidi Alexander has visited GRIDSERVE’s Innovation and Operations Centre to understand the firm’s investment in developing its electric vehicle (EV) charging network.
The company has installed High Power charging stations across the major road network, with more than 1500 charging bays at over 200 locations.
During her visit, Alexander met with GRIDSERVE’s engineering and operations teams to learn about the company’s pioneering approach to High Power charging infrastructure.
The Swindon facility aims to serve as the technical centre for its nationwide charging network, where teams have conducted thousands of hours of functionality and interoperability testing between chargers.
It was one of the UK’s first charge point operators to open a dedicated EV charging test lab, to ensure it “continues to provide the best service and reliability of any nationwide network as well as explore new ways to improve the EV charging experience”, it said.
The Swindon site has hosted a variety of electric vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, trucks and pre-production prototypes from some of the best-known automotive brands.
It is also examining charger hardware components including power cabinets, battery energy storage systems (BESS), as well as software and firmware to identify continuous network improvements.
Heidi Alexander said:
“It’s fantastic to see a company like GRIDSERVE, based here in Swindon, leading the way on electric vehicle infrastructure. The work being done at this Innovation and Operations Centre shows how businesses in our local community are helping to deliver the reliable, high-quality charging network we need across the country.
“As both Transport Secretary and the MP for Swindon South, I’m proud that Swindon is playing such an important role in the UK’s transition to zero-emission vehicles.”
Daniel Kunkel, CEO at GRIDSERVE, commented:
“We are delighted to have Ms Alexander as our local MP and to welcome the Transport Secretary to our Swindon facility. Her visit underscores the important role that reliable charging infrastructure plays in the UK’s transition to electric transport. Our team here in Swindon is proud to be developing the technology and maintaining the standards that keep drivers moving freely across the country.”
Image courtesy of GRIDSERVE
