Car dealer group Arnold Clark has opened its ultra-rapid EV charging network to the public, with more than 50 Arnold Clark Charge hubs now live across the UK. Backed by a £30 million investment, the rollout will eventually see 500 chargers installed at more than 100 locations nationwide.
Each site features up to eight rapid units capable of delivering charging speeds of up to 150kW, located at Arnold Clark dealerships. The facilities, branded Arnold Clark Charge, are available to both app users and Pay & Go customers via contactless payments. They also support charging cards from Allstar, Octopus Electroverse, Plugsurfing and Zap-Pay.
Users can also pre-book chargers through the Arnold Clark app, with many sites open 24/7. Depending on location, drivers are even offered a free coffee while they wait. Pricing starts at 55p/kWh, putting the network among the cheaper ultra-rapid options currently available.
The rollout forms part of the group’s plan to install 500 chargers at more than 100 UK locations. Roughly half of that target has now been met, with hubs most heavily concentrated around Glasgow and Manchester. None are yet live in Wales, London or Northern Ireland.
Commenting on the roll-out, Arnold Clark CEO Russell Borrie said: “With electric vehicles becoming increasingly popular, it’s essential that our charging infrastructure keeps pace with rising demand. That’s why we’ve made significant investments in our own UK-wide, bookable ultra-rapid charging network.”
The project builds on a previous collaboration with hardware supplier Kempower to install 150kW ‘Satellite’ chargers across dealerships, typically with eight units at larger sites and two to six at smaller ones.
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