Electric vehicle charging in full bloom at Dobbies Garden Centre
UK’s largest garden centre operator has partnered with national charging network Be.EV to provide EV charging at its stores
The first site in Huntingdon is equipped with four ultra-rapid chargers, with nine sites confirmed in wider deal
Chargers will serve Dobbies’ customers, local residents and commuters, with no other ultra-rapid charging provision within two miles of the site
A new kind of greenery is sprouting at Dobbies, the UK’s leading garden centre retailer, with the chain’s Huntingdon site receiving ultra-rapid EV charging.
The project, designed and installed by national charging network Be.EV, provides Dobbies’ shoppers, commuters and local residents easy access to affordable and ultra-rapid electric vehicle charging.
On Saturday, Be.EV and Dobbies representatives gathered along with the general public to celebrate the launch of the site, with free charging given to Be.EV members.
The Huntingdon site is equipped with eight ultra-rapid charging bays, which deliver up to 150kW. That’s fast enough to give a typical EV around 125 miles of range in 15 minutes.
Switched on and available for use, Dobbies Huntingdon joins the north’s largest public EV charging network that connects communities nationwide and boasts impressive reliability.
The site’s location brings ultra-rapid charging to 35,000 residents in the local area, and is the only ultra-rapid EV charging provision of its kind within two miles of Dobbies Huntingdon.
An average of 12,000 vehicles also pass through the town every day, with those travelling to nearby Cambridge now able to charge their car en-route to work.
Asif Ghafoor, CEO at Be.EV says of the network’s partnership with Dobbies: “It’s a great step for us to bring our EV charging infrastructure to the Huntingdon branch of Dobbies - it’s a beloved national brand that shares our vision for a more sustainable future.
“The Huntingdon site will provide shoppers and local residents with future-proof, ultra-rapid charging that will last for years to come, and other retailers should wake up and smell the roses.
“The site is a prime example of how national retailers should be approaching EV charging. Having reliable chargers on-site is the key to unlocking additional footfall and revenue for retailers, and in the age of the electric vehicle, Dobbies Huntingdon is the pick of the bunch.”
Stefan Anderson, Store Manager at Dobbies Huntingdon, said:
"The new Be.EV Charging Hub is great for our customers, and shows our commitment to a sustainable future. We’re glad to be offering our customers even more from their visit, and finding plenty of new drivers discovering us for the first time as they’re charging up."