Manchester-based EV charge point operator Be.EV has today (12 February) acquired Mer’s entire UK public charging network from Norwegian state energy firm Statkraft, tripling its footprint and creating a national network.
The acquisition adds over 1,600 charging bays across more than 450 sites to the Be.EV network, strengthening its presence across the South of England, creating a nationwide UK footprint and complementing its existing strength in the North and Midlands.
As driver demand continues to shift towards faster, high-powered public charging, the deal moves Be.EV into the UK’s top 10 charging networks by rapid and ultra-rapid charging capacity, offering EV drivers more choice, simpler journeys and fewer barriers to public charging.
Be.EV is majority owned by Octopus Energy Generation’s Sky Fund, including an employee ownership stake. The fund has raised over £2.5bn from institutional investors and invests into a globally diversified portfolio of renewable and energy infrastructure assets.
The majority of the newly enlarged network will, in time, be powered by Octopus Energy and offer nationwide access to Be.EV’s market leading 39p/kWh subscription and 7pm-7am off-peak pricing.
Mer’s UK public charging assets will be fully integrated into Be.EV’s existing network and its current customers will still be able to access their favourite chargers seamlessly, while benefiting from Be.EV’s pricing.
Mer will refocus its public EV charging strategy on its core European markets, but will continue to operate its extensive fleet charging network in the UK, which includes approximately 500 workplace chargers available to employees and site visitors.
Asif Ghafoor, CEO of Be.EV, said:
“We’re delighted to bring Mer’s network into Be.EV and even more excited about what it means for drivers. People don’t want to think about charging, they just want it to work, whenever and wherever they are. This acquisition brings the reliable Be.EV experience to more places, and the scale we gain helps us keep public charging affordable – including our market-leading off-peak and subscription pricing from 39p/kWh.
“It’s a natural fit with our existing network and will sit alongside our continued investment in new sites and service improvements.”
Kristoffer Thoner, CEO at Mer, said:
“We are pleased to see Mer’s UK public charging network join Be.EV, a company with a strong customer-centric approach and clear ambitions in public charging. This transaction supports Be.EV’s growth while allowing Mer to sharpen our strategic focus on our core European markets. Ultimately, both companies share the same goal – making EV charging simple and accessible for everyone.”
As a combined network, Be.EV expects to benefit from efficiencies of scale, including improved buying power, more efficient network operations and lower overheads per site. These synergies are expected to accelerate the company’s path to profitability while supporting continued organic growth through new site development.
Be.EV plans to continue and build upon the strong, well-performing network developed by Mer. The company will invest in targeted upgrades and selective replacement of equipment over time, with the aim of further strengthening reliability. Be.EV does not expect to close sites as part of the acquisition and will focus on enhancing discoverability, reliability and customer experience by applying its existing operational and marketing approach across the expanded estate.
The transaction involves the acquisition of Mer’s UK public charging business, excluding fleet operations. The combined organisation will be supported by a streamlined team following completion.
The news comes after Connected Kerb announced the acquisition of Trojan Energy’s pioneering Flat & Flush on-street charging technology and associated network earlier this week.
And on Monday (10 February), Ubitricity – a wholly owned subsidiary of Shell – announced the takeover of FM Conway’s SureCharge EV Charging network.
Image courtesy of Be.EV
