Electric briefs: Latest from Evolt, Network Rail, Sainsbury’s, Brentwood Borough Council and Zest

New rapid electric vehicle charging hub opened at London Stansted Airport

Evolt Charging has supported London Stansted Airport with the launch of its first rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging hub.

The new hub, located on Thremhall Avenue, the main road into and out of the airport, includes 10 charging bays that feature Evolt Touch charging units to provide up to 150kW of power.

Evolt Touch – so called because it has a 32-inch touch screen – is available with either one or two power outlets to provide simultaneous or sequential charging.

The latter maximises power availability, allowing the next vehicle in turn to start charging automatically once the vehicle in front has finished.

The Touch family of products can also be configured with clusters and satellite unit’s dependent on customer need and environment.

Gareth Powell, managing director at London Stansted, said: “We are fully committed to the sustainable and responsible growth of London Stansted, which is why we're delighted to open our first EV charging hub at the airport.

“This new facility is ideally located so that passengers, commuters, staff, local residents, and businesses passing through can grab a bite to eat and a cup of coffee while recharging their vehicles. Our focus is to continue driving forward on our commitment to reach net zero carbon operations by 2038.”

Lara Navetta, sales director at Evolt Charging, added: “We’re proud to support London Stansted with the launch of its first rapid EV charging hub, which marks a significant milestone in our shared commitment to sustainable travel.”

Evolt Charging recently rebranded from Swarco Smart Charging.  

Zest opens 56 EV charging bays in Warrington

Zest has been selected by Warrington Borough Council as the new charging operator for Time Square.

Zest is providing 56 EV charging bays at the Time Square multi-storey car park. Most of the charging bays are 7kW for visitors to top-up, and there are four rapid bays for those needing a faster recharge.

They include dedicated accessible and car club bays on the ground floor. The first 25 charging bays are open now, with the rest opening in phases during June.

It is part of Zest’s ongoing strategy to rollout convenient charging infrastructure that synchronises with drivers’ everyday lives - wherever they usually park.

Robin Heap, CEO and founder of Zest, said: "People want to switch to EV but they need to see abundant and reliable charging infrastructure being rolled out.

“Working in partnership with forward-looking local authorities like Warrington, we’re building at a scale that inspires confidence in the EV transition and makes a tangible contribution to net zero.”

For EV installs charging hubs at Network Rail Scotland depots

For EV has completed the first of two major EV charging hub installations in a landmark project that will support Network Rail Scotland in electrifying its operational fleet.

A combination of AC and DC charging technology designed specifically for the complex operational needs of Network Rail Scotland in Irvine and Cowlairs, Glasgow.

The charging hubs have the capacity to charge 56 fleet vehicles simultaneously and include load-balancing technology to meet the specific requirements of a highly specialised fleet that is incredibly responsive to the demands of the rail network.

Sainsbury’s installs ultra-rapid EV charge points

Sainsbury’s has launched ultra-rapid Electric Vehicle (EV) charging hub at its Bury St Edmunds and Loughton superstores.

EV drivers can now take advantage of six new ultra-rapid 150kW-plus charging bays at Sainsbury’s Loughton and a further six at its store in Bury St Edmunds.

Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s director of property, procurement and EV ventures, said: “We know that demand for speedy, reliable and sustainable EV charging facilities in the UK continues to grow – that’s why Sainsbury’s is rolling out Smart Charge, our new best-in-class ultra-rapid charging service, at supermarkets up and down the country.”

Smart Charge is the first and only EV charging business to be fully owned and managed end-to-end by a UK supermarket and is now available via 383 ultra-rapid charging bays at 47 Sainsbury’s locations, with new charging hub being added to the Smart Charge network regularly.

Brentwood Borough Council increases EV charging infrastructure

Brentwood Borough Council, in collaboration with Believ, has increased the number of electric vehicle (EV) charge points in the borough.

The newly added charging stations are located at two key sites: Chatham Way Car Park and King George’s Playing Fields.

The council has introduced 22 additional chargers, Chatham Way Car Park now features eight chargers, including four fast charging points and four rapid charging points.

King George’s Playing Fields has been equipped with 14 chargers, including four fast charge points in the car park adjacent to the entrance from Ingrave Road, six rapid charging points, and four fast charging points in the central car park.

Councillor Barry Aspinell, chair of the clean and green committee said, “Recognising the role of expanding Brentwood's EV charging network in our journey towards achieving net zero, the council is pleased to introduce these public charging points, aiming to provide support for our residents.

“Our commitment is for further EV charging points to be installed in other Brentwood car parks, including Ingatestone. This initiative not only plays a significant role in diminishing the area's carbon footprint but also enhances air quality, particularly in our town centres.”

Guy Bartlett, Believ CEO, added: “It is fantastic to see Brentwood scaling up its publicly accessible EV charging infrastructure with such commitment to supporting residents and visitors in making the switch to electric.

“The Believ team is very proud to support Brentwood in creating and implementing a well-thought-out strategy that delivers a mixture of charging speeds, according to the specific location’s needs.”