Volkswagen and Tesco Partnership

It has been announced that Volkswagen and Tesco have plans to create 2,400 public electric vehicle charging points across the UK. By 2020, fast charging will be available at 600 stores.

This new venture will be delivered by VW’s official charge point brand, Pod Point.

Tesco Extra and Superstore carparks will be future proofed by the installation of these publicly available charging bays.

Customers will be able to charge their EV’s using a standard 7kW fast charger for free or use of a rapid 50 kW charger for a small cost (in-line with the market rate).

Erik Fairbairn, Pod Point Chief Executive, said that the scheme represents a 14% increase in the number of public charge bays currently across the UK.

Geraldine Ingham, head of marketing at Volkswagen UK, said: “This incredibly exciting partnership with Tesco, powered by Pod Point, underlines the scale and ambition of our electric car programme in the UK.

“Working with these partners to provide such an extensive network of EV chargers should leave no one in any doubt about the Volkswagen brand’s wholehearted commitment to an electric future.”

Jason Tarry, Tesco’s chief executive for the UK and Republic of Ireland, said: “We want to be the leading electric vehicle energy provider and to support our customers with more sustainable solutions.

“Our EV network provides a sustainable choice for our customers and charging while they shop is another little help to make their lives easier.”   

Volkswagen are committed to become leading player in e-mobility and deliver on its pledge to sell one million electric cars a year worldwide by 2025.

Based on the Volkswagen Group’s new MEB electric platform, VW’s ID family of electric models will being coming to market in the UK next year as order books open for the ID hatch– a fully electric Golf-sized model – and, from 2020, versions of the ID BUZZ MPV and ID CROZZ SUV concept cars..