Tesla in first European OEM 250kW fast charger deal
The EG Group is buying Tesla’s ultra-fast DC charger units in an OEM deal to accelerate the rollout of its evpoint electric vehicle charging network across the UK & Europe.
This is the first OEM deal Tesla has done in the UK or Europe for its EV fast charger technology. The EG Group is run by the Issa brothers who bought UK supermarket chain Asda from US giant Walmart in 2021.
The chargers will be branded “evpoint” and will use the Tesla fast charging technology that runs up to 250kW. However the hardware will operate on an open network basis, meaning that all drivers will be able to access evpoint chargers regardless of the brand of vehicle. This is a key point as several US car makers have backed Tesla’s proprietary charging connector specification over the CCS2 specification used across Europe.
The chargers will also support the Plug and Charge protocol, which simplifies and automates payments. The first of the new charger units are expected to be rolling out before the end of the year as the company looks to increase the number of chargers from 3500 to 20,000 chargers, all supplied by 100% renewable energy.
“Securing this best-in-class equipment from Tesla marks another milestone for evpoint and is hugely exciting for us. It is the first deal of its kind entered into by Tesla with a third-party charge point operator in Europe and will transform how our customers charge their vehicles and how they interact with EG,” said Zuber Issa CBE, Founder and Co-CEO of EG Group,
“Since installing our first EV charger back in 2012, we have continued to invest in the technology. This deal will accelerate the delivery of vital charging infrastructure for motorists to help power the transition to Net Zero.”
Imraan Patel, Chief Strategy & Business Officer of EG Group, added: “Our aim is to deliver a three-pronged strategy to help us reach our energy transition goals. These include EV charging, supporting alternative forms of vehicular fuel, and broader carbon reduction, all of which are central to our strategy of helping the world transition to a lower carbon future. We have made significant progress to date on EV charging, with more than 600 chargers across 189 sites already deployed and a pipeline prepared with an ambition for evpoint to roll out more than 20,000 chargers across c.3,600 of our own sites over time with opportunities across third party locations also being pursued.”
“The rapid installation of reliable, easy-to-use EV charging infrastructure is the right step towards a sustainable future and a key area of focus for us at Tesla. For this reason, we’re excited to make our fast-charging hardware available for purchase to EG Group, and other leaders in the space,” said Rebecca Tinucci, Senior Director of Charging Infrastructure at Tesla.
The EG group is an independent convenience retailer that is now owned by Asda. evpoint was founded in 2021 as part of EG Group’s investments in energy transition but dates back to 2012 when the EG Group installed its first charger at a site adjacent to London’s Heathrow Airport. evpoint’s flagship site, the home of six ultrafast chargers, opened in August 2022 at Frontier Park in Blackburn, UK.
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