Sainsbury's in Swindon will introduce six new ultra-rapid EV chargers into its Bridgemead car park.
The new 150kW Smart Charge service will be the first of its kind to be introduced at a Sainsbury's in Wiltshire and will allow for electric vehicles to be charged in as little as 30 minutes.
According to Sainsbury's, this innovative new charging represents a major boost to the public EV charging options in the area, making it even easier to own an electric car in Swindon.
According to ZapMap, which maps out EV charger locations across the UK, there are currently 13 publicly available rapid chargers in Swindon, but there have been no ultra-rapid chargers until now.
The ultra-rapid chargers, which are classified as any charger providing over 100 kilowatts, are the fastest of their kind, and other charger types include rapid (25-99kW), fast (7-22kW) and slow (3-6kW).
The location of the new Sainsbury's chargers, which is conveniently close to junctions of the M4 and the A3102, means that commuters passing through the area can also benefit from the ultra-rapid chargers.
“We know that demand for speedy, reliable and sustainable EV charging facilities in the UK continues to grow," said Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury's Director of Property, Procurement and EV Ventures.
"That’s why Sainsbury’s is rolling out Smart Charge, our new best-in-class ultra-rapid charging service, at supermarkets up and down the country.
“We hope EV drivers will enjoy the added convenience and choice our new Bridgemead hub provides, giving them confidence that they can top up or do a full charge at our first Wiltshire location.
"They can even grab a coffee or pick up some groceries while they’re there.”
Across the UK, Smart Charge now has 389 charging bays available at 48 different Sainsbury's locations.
Smart Charge, which launched at the beginning of 2024, is the first and only EV charging business that is fully owned and managed by a UK supermarket.
The company claims to run on fully renewable energy and is easy to use with a simple contactless pay method.
After one 30-minute charge, the new Bridgemead Sainsbury's chargers claim to be able to provide enough power to travel up to 200 miles.
Sainsbury's say they now hope to keep expanding their ultra-rapid chargers across Wiltshire and the rest of the UK.
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