As electric car sales roll out of the UK, TotalEnergies from France and SSE from Scotland, have signed a binding agreement to create a joint venture to establish a new major player in EV charging infrastructure in the UK and Ireland, under the brand “Source”.
The new business partnership will create about 3000 high power charge points throughout Scotland, Ireland, England and Wales, meeting demand from fleet owners and private EV car owners to get a fast charge when they stop for a coffee. Fast charge stations can “refill” a Tesla in about 20 minutes as long as there is no wait for a charge point.
Investors know that Ireland is a great country for tech investment and companies that support them – see Ireland SEO. But in the last year or so its model for attracting international investments has been frayed. Support of EVs could open new models for startup and transportation businesses.
In the latest news charge points are needed in more remote locations but that is not what this business deal will fulfill.
According to the press material issued, Source will deploy up to 3000 high power charge points (of 150 kW and more) grouped in 300 “EV hubs”, targeting what they expect is a 20% market share. The majority of the charging hubs will be in prime locations in urban areas and powered by renewable energy provided by SSE and TotalEnergies.
Several hubs are already under construction in the UK with plans for dozens more, currently in development studies, the company just announced.
“TotalEnergies is proud to contribute to the development of electric mobility to decarbonize transportation in the UK and Irelan,” says Mathieu Soulas, Senior Vice President New Mobilities at TotalEnergies.
“This is a great opportunity to extend our network in Europe and stake out a key position as a reference high-power charging player.
“We want to offer our customers – passenger cars and fleet alike – a nationwide, ultra-fast and reliable charging service that allows them to travel efficiently with complete peace of mind. This development also contributes to our integrated power strategy in the UK, combining renewable and flexible power generation capacity, trading and marketing of low-carbon electricity available 24 hours a day.”
In the UK, Source will provide reliable ultra-fast charging stations now needed since the enforcement into law of the UK Government’s zero vehicle emissions mandate for all new cars and vans. Getting the power supply infrastructure built for EV and fleet owners is one of the biggest challenges facing the decarbonisation of transport. Consider that in countries like Sweden you cannot rent a vehicle that isn’t an EV.
As of this year, China is the country with the most electric cars in the world. In 2021, there were 417 million registered vehicles in China, 319 million of which were passenger cars. Of that, 13.1 million were “new energy vehicles” – those with electric, hybrid or hydrogen fuel cell powertrains.
Ireland plans on putting 1 million electric vehicles on roads by 2030, while building consumer confidence in EV charging. Countries like Canada have declared that all new cars on the road must be electric by 2035. Consumers are in a panic to buy fuel-based cars such as trucks as charging stations are few and far between in northern locations. Even in cities like Toronto, consumers are complaining that they can’t get adequate charges at rental apartments. A charge would take more than 24 hours on a regular outlet.
The partners in the new UK electric car deal with Source, such as SSE actually builds renewable energy power plants such as wind farms.
“SSE is already playing a leading role in decarbonising the UK and Ireland’s power system including building the world’s largest offshore wind farm and transforming electricity networks,” says Neil Kirkby, Managing Director of Enterprise at SSE.
“Now this agreement will help accelerate progress towards a decarbonised transport system too, ensuring the vehicles that keep the economy moving can do so in a more sustainable and efficient way,”
