B&Q is partnering with chargepoint provider Raw Charging in an £11m deal that will see EV bays installed at 26 of the DIY chain’s stores – roughly equivalent to 10% of its outlets.
The contract will see Raw put up the £11m required for the chargers and their infrastructure, including grid upgrades and high-voltage connections “where required”. The chargepoint operator will then collect charging fees from drivers, with B&Q receiving a boost to the attractiveness the stores selected to receive sockets.
The project is likely to take 12 months to complete, and will involve a mixture of ultra-rapid DC bays for drivers seeking a quick recharge, and slower, AC devices for shoppers spending longer times at the DIY stores, which are often surrounded by other retail outlets.
The announcement follows a £25m contract signed earlier in the year by Raw and the UK’s largest commercial-property firm, Landsec, and demonstrates the partnership opportunities presented by ‘destination’ EV charging. This sees sockets installed at locations drivers would be visiting anyway, as opposed to the standalone ‘hubs’ pioneered between the likes of Gridserve and Fastned.
Neil Broadbank, Raw’s chief commercial officer comments: “Tradespeople and commercial vehicles are central to the UK economy, and they need charging that is reliable, fast and located where it fits naturally into their day.”
Kingsley Mack, B&Q’s director of property, says: “Working with Raw Charging, we’re helping to make it easier for our customers to charge their electric cars and vans by offering ultra-fast, convenient, high-quality EV charging points.”
