Renewable energy supplier Ecotricity has confirmed the sale of its ‘Electric Highway’, a national charging network for EVs, to Gridserve.
The Electric Highway began a decade ago and according to Ecotricity played a pivotal role in kickstarting the country’s electric car revolution, enabling early adopters to drive the length and breadth of Britain.
Gridserve will now increase investment in the Electric Highway with the replacement of all the existing chargers on the network. This will include new technology that features all the latest advances including contactless payment.
This follows the opening last month of the first high power charging facility at Moto’s new flagship Motorway services at Rugby, featuring 12 350kW chargers.
Dale Vince, 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.
“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.”
Ecotricity added the sale will enable it to focus on its green energy business which includes the UK’s first Green Gasmill, a process of making natural gas for the grid from grass. It will also bring forward a series of solar and battery storage projects to be built without government support. It is also working to expand its Sky Mining facility, a world first carbon capture and storage process that turns atmospheric carbon dioxide into diamonds.
Read more: UK’s first EV charging forecourt opens
