Independent forecourt operator Motor Fuel Group (MFG) is to invest more than £50m opening 60 electric vehicle charging hubs in the UK during 2022.
The programme will see MFG install more than 350 chargers in hubs that will consist of between four and eight Ultra-Rapid 150kW EV Chargers per site.
These will be augmented with 300kW+ chargers as vehicle battery technology improves to maintain the fastest charging times across its network.
The investment in 2022 builds on the £40 million EV investment undertaken in 2021 which saw MFG open its flagship forecourt in Putney and the North-West of England’s first dedicated ultra-rapid EV only site in Manchester.
Alongside its investment in EV, the company made a £50 million investment to improve its retail, food to go, and valeting offer to the consumer in 2021.
Over the coming decades, MFG will operate a dual fuel strategy, meaning it will continue to provide existing fossil fuel infrastructure whilst placing equal importance on rolling out ultra-rapid EV charging hubs.
The company has more than 900 sites across Great Britain and has committed to investing £400 million in EV infrastructure by 2030.
William Bannister, CEO, MFG, said: “We have already invested significantly, and ahead of the curve, on EV charging across our portfolio.
“We have an ambitious roll-out programme for 2022 which is focused on our network throughout the UK.
“Our EV sites are modern in design and provide a high-quality retail and consumer experience for the community and for motorists to use whilst charging their vehicles.
“We look forward to delivering on our strategic plans throughout 2022.”
The problem with public charging points is that you cannot leave an EV on charge overnight which you can do if you have a driveway and a charging point. Fast chargers are OK up to a point, but fast charging degrades the battery as it causes lithium dendrites to grow across each cell, similar to the degradation of a lead-acid battery. The solution for people that have no driveway or need to be able to fill up quickly, is to have a hydrogen-fuel cell car, an EV with the battery backed up by a fuel cell. This will not become a reality until there is financial support for hydrogen filling stations and hydrogen powered cars to use them; a chicken and egg situation.