Most of the network will be ABB’s recently revealed Terra 51 rapid charger, which costs around half the price of most equivalent units. The majority will be located at motorway service stations on the busiest routes through Europe, offering an 80% charge in under half an hour.

POD Point will supply its back-office system, based on the Open Charge Point Protocol, which allows units from multiple manufacturers to communicate over a standardised platform.

Erik Fairbairn, POD Point chief executive officer, commented: ‘Networking public charge points will spur the development of location-finding apps, which will benefit the EV driver. Networking is also needed to enable owners to monitor charge point usage, generate income from their charge points, and perform remote software upgrades and repairs – so avoiding costly on-site maintenance visits.’

Projects already under way as part of the collaboration include integrating ABB’s chargers with Irish energy supplier ESB’s own software and installing rapid charging units in Norway in partnership with EV Power. In the UK, ABB has already installed charging points in the Midlands, Northern Ireland and Scotland, with further units planned for London and Wales.