Heart of England Co-op has teamed up with Zest to install ultra-rapid electric vehicle charging points for the first time.
Nine of its 40 convenience stores have been selected for the initial rollout, with each location having between two and four charging points.
The first ultra-rapid charging points were introduced at four stores across Nuneaton and Coventry.
Its newly opened £2.4m store at Flying Fields in Southam is also due to be included in the rollout, along with its sites at Wellesbourne, Hillmorton and Balsall Common.
The EV charging points at its Fieldfare Road and Lower Heathcote stores in Hinckley and Warwick respectively are also getting upgrades to ultra-rapid.
Heart of England Co-op said more stores were in the pipeline as part of the sustainability drive.
Zest’s “new user-friendly chargers” allow drivers to pay via contactless, through the Zest app, or through roaming networks such as Octopus Electroverse, Allstar and Plugsurfing.
“Zest is the UK’s fastest-growing investor-operator of public electric vehicle chargers,” said Heart of England Co-op head of property services John Bridges.
“Their mission is to make the transition to electric vehicles a realistic option for everyone by accelerating access to abundant, convenient and reliable public charging.
“This multi-year agreement is great news for our shoppers and members who will benefit from a seamless charging experience, as will the wider community.
“It’s also great news for the environment and reflects our commitment to support more sustainable communities. We have invested millions in green initiatives over the past few years, and the environment remains a major consideration in everything we do.”
Zest CEO Robin Heap said: “Partnering with Heart of England Co-op allows us to bring reliable ultra-rapid EV charging to even more communities across the Midlands.
“By installing charging facilities at convenient retail locations, we’re making it easier for drivers to charge as part of their everyday routines while supporting the transition to cleaner transport.
“As organisations with strong community-focused values, we’re proud to work together to help make sustainable travel more equitable for customers across the region.”
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