MFG is aiming to launch 10 standalone EV charging hubs at retail parks a year until 2030, in a bid to target a new top-up mission outside its traditional forecourt network.
Ed Chadwick-Till, the forecourt operator’s EV director, told The Grocer the move would put MFG in the “destination segment”, whereby drivers can use “dwell-time activities” at the retail park while their cars charge, such as shopping or eating out.
“The hubs on our forecourts cater to the traditional on-route mission, with ultra-rapid chargers that help get drivers back on the road as soon as possible. But no longer are people only going to petrol stations.
“You can charge up at home, at work, on the street, and now we’re providing charging opportunities while people go about their daily business, helping them make the most efficient use of their time.”
MFG is launching its first standalone hub at the 270,000 sq ft Great Western Retail Park in Glasgow, which features a Starbucks, B&Q, Sainsbury’s and Currys.
The 934-forecourt operator said it hopes to be up and running by March, after having its original launch date postponed due to issues connecting the hubs to power supplies last year.
It will have eight 150kW ultra-rapid chargers, offering motorists 100 miles of range in approximately 10 minutes, depending on the charging capability of individual car batteries.
A spokesman for Great Western Retail Park said: “Over recent years, the retail park has seen the addition of new restaurants, an improved car park and signage, which has led to a 25% increase in shoppers. The addition of the EV Hub is part of our desire to maintain Great Western Retail Park as the premier retail warehouse location for Glasgow.”
MFG has also began planning for another hub at a retail park in Birmingham, with a further 200-plus third-party sites “under consideration”.
Chadwick-Till added: “We’ve got a good pipeline of partners that will complement our existing forecourt network, in terms of geography, but also in terms of mission.”
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