Tesco’s project to install EV charging points across 600 UK stores has hit its target with installation at the 600^th store.

The programme has seen 2,500 EV charging bays installed at 600 Tesco stores across the UK and Northern Ireland

The landmark installation was carried out at the Tesco superstore in Kirkwall on the remote Scottish island of Orkney as part of the supermarket giant’s partnership with Pod Point and Volkswagen.

It’s the culmination of a programme which has seen 2,500 EV charging bays installed at 600 Tesco stores across the UK and Northern Ireland over the last three years – with all electricity used to charge cars generated from renewable sources. The network also includes 129 rapid chargers.

The supermarket giant partnered with Pod Point and Volkswagen at the end of 2018 to roll out the UK’s “largest free charging network”. Free charging was ended in November 2022 with the implementation of “competitive” tariffs but work to expand the charging network to more stores has continued.

Under the next phase of the project, Pod Point is installing the retailer’s first set of 75kW charging units, on a trial basis, to complement the existing 7kW, 22kW and 50kW units across the Tesco estate.

The charge points are being installed this month at the Tesco Cheshunt, Osterley, Shrewsbury, Ashby De La Zouch and York Extra stores, and at the Newark New Ollerton Superstore. A further six stores will be installed with 75kW units as part of the trial later this year. The 75kW chargers will be priced at 69p kWh.

Since the rollout of the network began in 2019, the partnership has seen over six million charges, providing 43,218kWh of energy to date – enough to power more than 4,000 homes for a whole day.

Erik Fairbairn, Pod Point founder and CEO, said: “Meeting the 600-store target is an awesome achievement and makes the Tesco rollout by far the UK’s biggest retail EV charging network. Since 2019, we’ve been giving drivers the confidence to go electric with a secure, reliable and accessible way to top up while they shop. We are incredibly proud of our partnership with Tesco and Volkswagen, and with the contribution we’re making to the UK’s charging infrastructure.”

To use the charge points, drivers just need to download the Pod Point app, plug in the charger and confirm their charge.