Energy supplier EDF has made its largest investment into the EV industry with the acquisition of charging infrastructure company Pod Point.
EDF’s majority stake acquisition into Pod Point, which currently has over 62,000 charging points across the UK and a further 6,000 in Norway, is part of its plan to become a leading energy company for electric mobility in the UK as well as France, Italy and Belgium. It is also a move that will help the UK realize its ultra-low emission targets by delivering the necessary EV charging infrastructure.
Pod Point offers charging solutions at home, at work and at destination and has developed an extensive public network connecting EV drivers with almost 3,000 charging bays across the UK, including at Tesco and Lidl shops, Center Parcs and a number of sites across Legal & General’s extensive property portfolio. Its charging points are compatible with all plug-in vehicles and the combination of Pod Point solutions and EDF’s offers will in future mean customers will be able to schedule their charging and benefit from competitive electricity at times when energy costs are lower and there is less demand on the grid.
“Electric vehicles will be crucial in reducing the UK’s carbon emissions and fighting climate change. With the addition of charge points, we can help our customers to reduce their carbon footprints and benefit from lower fuel costs by going electric. The additional electricity demand from EVs will require urgent investment in low carbon generation from renewables and nuclear,” said Simone Rossi, UK CEO of EDF.
Transport has the highest carbon emissions of any industry and, last week, the British Government launched a consultation to bring forward the end date for the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles. EDF data suggests that a low carbon grid, featuring new renewables and nuclear, and switching the 32million petrol and diesel cars on UK roads to electric, would avoid 65 million tons of CO2, and shrink Britain’s overall carbon footprint by more than 10%.
