Be.EV partnership begins with charging hub at White City Retail Park

author: FutureCar Staff    

Retail park operator The Derwent Group has announced a new partnership with EV charging network Be.Ev to provide a reliable charging service for shoppers. The partnership kicked off with the opening of a "state-of-the-art" charging hub at White City Retail Park in London.

As part of the launch, all Be.EV members will have exclusive access to free charging at the White City location for a week, until Tuesday, November 21.

This is the first of four installations that Be.EV will be developing in collaboration with The Derwent Group. The aim is to drive additional footfall and enhance the value of their sites. Future charging hubs are planned for popular retail destinations in Liverpool, Warrington, and Wallasey.

All of the charging sites will be equipped with Kempower chargers, which claim to charge a typical EV to 80% in just 20 minutes, compared to four to six hours on a 7kW fast charger.

According to Be.EV, the chargers are capable of "intelligently distributing energy supply between vehicles according to demand." This means that if one car reaches the maximum amount of power on one charger, any residual energy supply can be reassigned to another vehicle connected on-site.

White City Retail Park attracts an average of 140,000 vehicles per month. The goal of the new charging hub is to allow more shoppers' cars to be charged in a day and become free again more quickly for the next person. This is crucial in ensuring a smooth and convenient charging experience while drivers browse the shops.

Be.EV has taken care of all up-front installation and operating costs for the White City hub, as well as the design, build, installation, and ongoing maintenance of the site.

Asif Ghafoor, CEO of Be.EV, expressed his delight in working with The Derwent Group and bringing their state-of-the-art charging infrastructure to retail sites across their portfolio. He also highlighted the convenience of retail parks as charging locations for shoppers.

Peter Gilliland, Head of Property Management at The Derwent Group, emphasized the company's commitment to sustainability and improved amenities for customers. He mentioned that partnering with Be.EV was an obvious choice due to their established local network and excellent customer service. The plan is to roll out electric vehicle chargers to a further 11 sites in future phases.

The Derwent Group operates on behalf of The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation, which funds projects run by registered charities in England, Wales, Isle of Man, and the Republic of Ireland. Currently, the charity's property portfolio consists of three million sq ft of office, industrial, leisure, and retail space.

FutureCar Staff