ECOTRICITY has sold its Electric Highway – the world’s first national charging network for electric cars – to GRIDSERVE.
This will come as welcome news to SME fleet drivers who want to top up their EV batteries on the UK’s motorway system, but often find Ecotricity points out of order.
While the Electric Highway, which began a decade ago and has played a pivotal role in kickstarting the country’s pivot to electric cars, was revolutionary at the time, lack of proper maintenance across the network has led to criticism of the service.
Rejoice. Ecotricity has sold its motorway charger network to Gridserve. Ecotricity owner Dale Vince here basically admitting what we all knew – his heart wasnt in it: “…needs an owner with access to serious funding and real commitment to the cause” https://t.co/z2OH7s40Z1
— Nick Gibbs (@NickGibbs) June 9, 2021
The Founder of Ecotricity, Dale Vince OBE, said:
The Electric Highway needs a growth spurt to make sure it stays ahead of driver demand and continues to play its key role as the network that delivers more miles a year for UK drivers than any other. For this, the Electric Highway needs an owner with access to serious funding and real commitment to the cause – and I’m delighted to have found the ideal company in GRIDSERVE to hand the baton to.
Gridserve, which opened its first of many planned Electric Forecourts earlier this year, is backed by Hitachi Capital finance.
In March 2021, GRIDSERVE took a 25% stake in Ecotricity as a precursor to today’s takeover.
Commenting on the announcement, David Watts, a Senior Consultant with leasing company Arval, said on LinkedIn:
Toddington Harper, CEO, GRIDSERVE, added:
“It’s a real honour for GRIDSERVE to have been chosen by Ecotricity as the organisation to take the Electric Highway forward in its next phase. Our purpose is to deliver sustainable energy and move the needle on climate change, and the upgraded network will provide the conference for millions more to make the successful transition to electric vehicles in the earliest possible timeframes.”
Ecotricity, a green energy company, said the sale would enable Ecotricity to push new boundaries in its green energy business, such as making ‘natural gas’ for the grid simply from grass.
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