UK | Sainsbury’s has brought an exciting new service to its first location in Wandsworth – a brand-new ultra-rapid Electric Vehicle (EV) charging hub at its Nine Elms Superstore.
MP for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green Florence Eshalomi joined Sainsbury’s colleagues at the store to see the new Smart Charge Hub and celebrate its launch.
The arrival of the new Smart Charge hub, offering EV drivers speed, reliability, and competitive prices with rewards, has boosted public EV charging options in the area.
Whether EV users live locally or are driving past the store, which is conveniently located on Wandsworth Road, they can now take advantage of 8 new ultra-rapid 150kW Smart Charge bays at Sainsbury’s Nine Elms, collecting Nectar points while they charge.
The new Nine Elms hub brought the total number of Smart Charge locations across the UK to 54, all launched in less than a year.
‘Ultra-rapid’ is the fastest type of EV charging currently available on the market. The new service will allow customers to charge EVs in as little as 30 minutes, providing enough power to travel up to 200 miles, rather than waiting longer with a slower alternative.
Thanks to the additional space provided around and between bays, the hub has been designed to be easily accessible for disabled customers and those with young children.
“It was brilliant to join the Sainsbury’s Smart Charge team to open their new Nine Elms site today and to speak to some of the fantastic colleagues in store,” said Florence Eshalomi, Labour MP for Vauxhall and Camberwell Green.
“More and more people are driving electric vehicles, and it is so important we have the right infrastructure in place to support this transition.”
Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s Director of Property, Procurement & EV Ventures, hoped EV drivers would enjoy the added convenience and choice the new service provides, giving them confidence that they can top up or do a full charge at the first Wandsworth location.
“We know that demand for speedy, reliable and sustainable EV charging facilities in the UK continues to grow – that’s why Sainsbury’s is rolling out Smart Charge, our new best-in-class ultra-rapid charging service, at supermarkets up and down the country.”
Smart Charge is the first EV charging business wholly owned and managed end-to-end by a UK supermarket. It is now available via 445 ultra-rapid charging bays at 54 Sainsbury’s locations, with a new charging hub regularly added to the Smart Charge network.
Smart Charge is also the first EV charging provider to offer customers loyalty benefits from a UK-leading loyalty programme, Nectar, allowing them to collect points to spend on their favourite brands.
The service is intended to help advance the uptake of electric vehicles in the UK, supporting the nation’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
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