Rapid charging provider Gridserve has revealed plans for its fourth ‘Electric Forecourt’, which will bring the filling station-like charging experience to a new location near Basildon. 

It will join two already operational electric forecourts in Norwich and Braintree, while a location at Gatwick Airport’s south terminal has been under construction since September 2022, designed to provide air travellers with a hub for nearby speedy top-ups.

The new forecourt - Gridserve’s second in Essex - will be built off the A132, north of the junction with the busy A127 route that heads eastbound to London and westbound to Southend-on-Sea. 

The site will accommodate 31 chargers, all of which will be accessible without need for a membership and will accept contactless payment. The exact breakdown of which types of charging will be available is yet to be confirmed, but expect a mix of ultra-rapid and rapid options, along with low-power charging for those not in a hurry, and a clutch of Tesla Superchargers too. 

Like other Gridserve Electric Forecourts, the chargers will be powered by net zero carbon energy, while on-site electricity storage is intended to reduce the site’s dependency on the national grid. 

The site will look just like other Gridserve locations, too. A charging area with accessible bays will sit in front of a main building clad in the firm’s trademark copper. The site at Nevendon will be approximately 3.34 acres in size, while a range of amenities should be available for motorists inside the forecourt’s reception building. 

Gridserve has not confirmed a timescale for construction or when indeed the Nevendon forecourt will open. The firm hopes to have its Gatwick location operational by the summer, while it says it has already secured planning permission for further forecourts in Uckfield, Gateshead, Plymouth and Stevenage.

Gridserve aims to build over 100 of its Electric Forecourts up and down the country