Aldi is to equip all new stores with rapid charging points for electric cars.
The devices will support charging speeds of up to 22kWh, much faster than the more common 7kWh, Aldi said. The intention is to future-proof the chargers for an incoming generation of electric cars with greater battery capacity.
Aldi is opening around 50 stores a year to reach 1,200 by 2025, a target it is said to remain on course to hit despite any disruption resulting from the coronavirus pandemic.
The chargers are already in place at 42 stores.
The discounter joins a number of other retailers to invest in creating a network of electric vehicle chargers in supermarket car parks.
In October last year, Lidl said it would install rapid chargers at all its new stores, as well as retrofitting them at some existing branches. That came a week after Morrisons revealed plans for a nationwide network of high-speed electric car charging points at its stores, with 100 to be in place by this year.
Tesco began installing 2,400 charging bays across 600 stores in November 2018.
Aldi’s chargers are being provided by Shell Group company NewMotion. The technology is also being installed at Aldi’s Atherstone HQ for staff.
“Sustainability and protecting the environment is extremely important to us and our customers,” said Aldi UK MD of corporate responsibility Fritz Walleczek.
“We are delighted to be working with NewMotion to offer shoppers access to fast, easy charging facilities when they visit our stores, and to further support our colleagues to make more environmentally-friendly choices.”
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