Volkswagen, Tesco, and Pod Point have teamed up to provide UK electric vehicle owners with free charging points while they shop. Now, that initiative is underway with at least 100 Tesco stores across the UK equipped with charging points for shoppers to top up their battery while getting their groceries. Overall, the scheme will provide an accumulative 2,400 charge points in Tesco parking lots.
As a fun way to highlight the scheme, a Volkswagen all-electric ID.3 made its first appearance in the UK by visiting the Potters Bar Tesco store in Hertfordshire. The ID.3 had just made its grand debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show a few months ago. The car is not available in dealerships yet but will be very soon, in the summer of 2020.
Volkswagen also revealed new research along with the new car. It shows that the average Brit spends 50 minutes every week in a supermarket buying drink and food. Meaning, owners of an electric car could get around 22.5 miles of free charging from the 7kW points when they plug in their vehicles during those 50 minutes.
This partnership between Volkswagen, Tesco, and Pod Point is part of Volkswagen’s drive to boost e-mobility. The company wants to make electric cars more accessible to millions of people. Free charge points help with that. The ID.3 has a range of up to 340 miles per charge too, so no need to stress about making it to your destination. There are lots of Tescos around also just in case, bonus!
Furthermore, the ID.3’s production is entirely carbon-neutral, and renewable sources supply the electricity used to charge vehicles at the grocery stores!
Geraldine Ingham, head of marketing at Volkswagen UK, said:
Volkswagen literally means the people’s car, and with the ID.3 we are making electric car ownership more accessible. This fantastic partnership with Tesco and Pod Point makes choosing an electric car even more attractive, allowing people to charge for free, all while going about their daily business. And the best bit is that this is not just for Volkswagens – the chargers are designed for any electric car owner to take advantage of. We are really pleased to help break down any remaining barriers to opting for an electric car.
Jason Tarry, Tesco CEO UK & ROI, added:
We’re now well on our way to achieving our ambition of installing more than 2,400 EV charging bays across 600 Tesco stores. Providing customers with charging points offers them a sustainable choice and giving them the opportunity to charge their car for free while they shop is another little help to make their lives easier.
Pod Point has been gathering data, which shows that the charging points were used over 12,000 times in November. That’s nearly 60,000 kWh of free energy for customers with electric vehicles in one month!
Erik Fairbairn, founder, and CEO, Pod Point, said:
With the rollout now underway, we are witnessing a pivotal moment for the UK’s rapidly expanding public charging network. Providing smart, easy-to-use charge points at this scale is likely to accelerate the transition to electric cars up and down the country. Being able to top up while you shop at so many locations makes it more convenient to go electric than ever before.
A survey found that six in ten adults would be more willing to buy an electric car if they could charge it for free. It also found that 43% of people would prefer public charging points over somewhere to charge at home. And, 68% of people think motor companies should do more to encourage motorists to make the switch like Volkswagen is.
