Gridserve has marked the first anniversary of the opening of its Norwich Electric Forecourt, said to be one of the most advanced EV charging facilities in the world.

Since opening, the Norwich Electric Forecourt has powered over two million EV miles – enough to travel around the world 80 times

Opened on 21 April 2022, it’s the company’s second Electric Forecourt following the 2020 launch of the Braintree site and hosts 36 EV chargers, including 22x 350kW-capable high-power chargers. Since opening, it’s powered over two million EV miles – enough to travel around the world 80 times.

The site has also significantly boosted local charging facilities – at the time of opening, the Electric Forecourt more than doubled the number of high-powered chargers in the region.

Prior to the hub’s launch, Norwich and the wider East of England region had low EV charger coverage compared to other regions in the UK – offering just 29 chargers per 100,000 people in 2021 compared to the UK average of 42 per 100,000. This has now risen to 37 per 100,000 across the region, while Norfolk ups this to 48 chargers per 100,000 people.

Toddington Harper, CEO and founder of Gridserve, said: “It’s been an awesome first year for Norwich Electric Forecourt. It is great to see the uptake of electric vehicles increasing as drivers in the area feel confident to make the switch with reliable, easy and fast charging available on their doorstep. We’re also proud to welcome those travelling to and around the area, allowing more people to travel on net zero EV miles on their holidays in Norfolk.”

Last year’s arrival of the Norwich site follows the opening of Gridserve’s first Electric Forecourt in Braintree, Essex in 2020.

The sustainable energy business also continues to roll out further Electric Forecourts, including one at Gatwick Airport opening this year. Several other sites also have planning permission, including Nevedon, Gateshead, Plymouth and Stevenage – a further 30 sites are also under development as part of the company’s commitment to deliver more than 100 Electric Forecourts.