DC fast-charging manufacturer Kempower has completed its first UK leasing-enabled EV charging project, supporting Top 50 Indie Highway Stops Retail in deploying eight fast-charging points at its service station in Astwick.
The project was funded through a flexible finance agreement provided by Kempower’s leasing partner, DLL.
Kempower and DLL partnered in 2024 and the Astwick project is both a UK-first for Kempower and a first for the partnership.
Commissioned in February 2026, the Astwick site, which is located on the A1 northbound near Hitchin in Hertfordshire, features four Kempower Double Satellites, providing eight CCS2 connection points. The Satellite chargers are connected to two Kempower Power Units, which enable each charger to supply up to 400 kW to connected EVs.
Shilan Raja, director at Highway Stops, says: “Responses to our new chargers have been overwhelmingly positive from others in the industry. This project is the result of the collaboration between teams of people passionate about e-mobility, so it makes me proud to see the chargers being used by EV drivers every day. Financing the project through Kempower with DLL was a huge enabler.”
Rolle Nieminen, head of sales for UK and Ireland at Kempower, says: “Retail is Kempower’s strongest segment in the UK with hundreds of retail sites equipped with Kempower fast-charging infrastructure. We’re also seeing growing interest from petrol station operators, particularly following the launch of our leasing option, which can help address the upfront investment involved in installing EV charging infrastructure.
“We’re currently in discussions with a number of forecourt businesses, although those conversations aren’t yet at a stage where we can confirm specific projects or customers. What we can say is that forecourts are an increasingly important part of the retail charging market, and we expect interest to continue as operators look at how to adapt their sites for the growing number of EV drivers.”
The financial model provided by Kempower and DLL aims to help lower upfront costs of EV charging infrastructure for operators, supporting in removing the financial barrier to developing EV charging and accelerating the infrastructure rollout.
As part of the model, charging operators are supplied with regular maintenance services from Kempower in addition to the hardware, meaning that customers access operational support alongside the financial backing.
