Be.EV to invest £2.5m in London ultra-rapid EV charging hubs

EV charging network Be.EV is to invest over £2.5m to deliver 30 150kW charging bays, which can deliver 80% of charge in just 20 minutes.

Be.EV has installed the first site in this expansion at the Crown Hotel London in Cricklewood, delivered in partnership with AG Hotels. 

The other sites in the expansion will be installed near Croydon, Dartford and Watford.

Be.EV said these sites will help to tackle one of London’s challenges around EV charging: a lack of high-powered public charging.

While the capital has a far greater total number of EV chargers than the rest of the UK, it currently lags well behind the national average for 50KW+ chargers per 100,000 people, with only Northern Ireland having fewer of these chargers on average. 

Asif Ghafoor, chief executive of Be.EV, said: “London is crying out for reliable, accessible EV charging - and this expansion is about meeting that demand head-on. We’re helping to future-proof the city by putting chargers where people need them most: close to homes, shops and leisure destinations.

“It’s a win for AG Hotels too - they get EV charging at no cost, while benefiting from increased footfall from drivers stopping in to top up. This is what the future of urban mobility looks like, and we’re proud to be helping deliver it in the capital.”

The Crown Hotel London site is the 300th ultra-rapid chargepoint. 

Grish Grover, chief executive and managing director, AG Hotels Group, said: “On-site EV charging is becoming a clear differentiator in the hospitality sector, shifting from a nice-to-have to an essential service. Partnering with Be.EV will allow us to meet the expectations of a growing number of travellers with EVs while also attracting new customers from the local community. It’s a strategic step that strengthens our sustainability agenda and ensures our hotels remain competitive as travel behaviours evolve.”