First Charge depot EV charging service joins Allstar payment network

First Bus is offering access to its high-power electric vehicle chargers to other fleet operators.

First Charge is the commercial electric vehicle charging service from First Bus, one of the UK’s largest bus operators. Part of a nationwide network of ultra-rapid charging superhubs, it gives fleet operators access to high-powered, secure charging facilities at bus depots across the UK. is?the?UK’s market leading fuel, EV?and?expense card providers for businesses, with over 40 year’s expertise

First Charge is now available via Allstar, an EV, fuel and business expense payment company owned by Corpay.

While the UK’s charging infrastructure is improving as adoption grows, growth for electric HGVs and vans lags behind the electric car market. The Road Haulage Association (RHA) cites a lack of depot and public charging infrastructure as some of the primary barriers that are preventing operators from investing in these vehicles.

Allstar’s work to improve accessibility to electric vehicle charging includes solutions for public charging, near home charging and home charging – and now negotiated pricing for eligible Allstar customers, at First Charge’s depot chargepoints. This is in addition to providing Allstar customers with the UK’s fastest electric charging payment network for businesses. The network encompasses more than 28,000 locations nationwide, including more than 76,000 chargers, and continues to grow at pace.

The partnership with First Charge will enable eligible Allstar customers to utilise existing EV charging infrastructure that provides secure, fast, accessible and high-volume charging up to 360 kW speed. Additionally, they will have access to larger spaces for LGVs and eHGVs, vehicles that can be difficult to charge at typical chargers on the public network.

Faizan Ahmad, decarbonisation director at First Bus, said: “Through First Charge, we are unlocking the potential of our depot charging infrastructure for use beyond our own bus charging needs, helping more fleets access ultra-rapid charging to make the switch to zero-emission vehicles.

“Allstar is renowned for its approach to making EV infrastructure and charging accessible for all. This collaboration represents an important step toward a more inclusive and scalable charging network across the UK.”

First Bus serves over 25% of the population of Great Britain and more than half of the UK’s top 15 most populated urban areas. The company is a leading operator in the majority of its local areas, including major urban centres such as Glasgow, Leeds and Bristol. In London, First Bus operates 83 routes in west and central areas from 10 garages, serving 180 million passengers annually. The combined operation manages a fleet of more than 5,750 buses across the UK.
First Bus is a division of FirstGroup.

First Charge locations

Now Live
Aberdeen (AB24 5RP), Scotstoun (G14 0AP), Glasgow City Centre (G42 7BH), York (YO10 3WW), Leeds (LS13 4LD), Norwich (NR7 8SQ), Leicester (LE4 0DA), Basildon (SS16 5GJ), Bristol (BS4 1UL), Weston-super-Mare (BS23 3XP), Taunton (TA1 2EH), Hoeford (PO16 0ST), Newquay (TR8 5DR), Fullwell (TW2 5NX).

Coming soon
Minehead (TA24 5BY)

Tom Rowlands, managing director, Global EV Solutions at Corpay including UK brand, Allstar said: “Central to a successful transition to net zero is infrastructure that can make charging an electric vehicle as convenient and as quick as possible. However, this demands an approach that is far from one size fits all. That’s why we’ve focussed on bringing different charging environments to our customers, from near home charging to depots, for the smallest cars to the largest HGVs, and a single payment card that does it all.

“Installing a network of new chargers has been a significant project that is still ongoing, but it doesn’t yet keep up with the demands and changing needs of drivers. This is why it’s critical to make use of every charging point the country has to offer and partnering with First Charge was the natural fit, with 10 locations across the UK.” 

Allstar’s fuel card is accepted at over 90% of fuel sites across the UK. It has over 1.2 million cards in circulation across 50,000 businesses, giving drivers’ access to fuel spend across all supermarkets, major oil companies and motorway fuel sites.

Its EV network encompasses more than 28,000 locations nationwide, including more than 76,000 chargers across its growing electric vehicle charging network. Some 83% of its electric vehicle charging network is fast, rapid and ultra-rapid.