MFG St Albans hub marks completion of Morrisons project

Independent forecourt operator Motor Fuel Group (MFG) has completed the roll-out of rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging bays across the Morrisons supermarket estate.

Over 580 rapid EV Power charging bays have been installed at nearly 300 Morrisons supermarkets throughout the UK. The roll-out of rapid charger achieved within five months.

MFG’s investment means that Morrisons is now the leading supermarket for EV charging facilities, with more bays than any other food retailer.

This project forms part of MFG’s strategy to electrify and future proof the Morrisons estate, providing charging facilities for the supermarket’s customers. These chargers can provide a battery fill akin to the average milage travelled within 45 minutes, therefore suitable for customers undertaking the weekly shop.

The St Albans hub was opened by Daisy Cooper, Liberal Democrat MP for St Albans, who said: “I’m delighted to see MFG complete their installation of 1,000 ultra rapid EV charging bays across its sites nationwide. This is a significant investment in the UK EV charging sector and will give greater availability to drivers and reassurance that there are public charging points within a short drive anywhere in the UK. 

“Seeing drivers who live in and pass through St Albans plug in their electric vehicles whilst stopping for a rest and a coffee, is great news for the environment, and local employment. I’m looking forward to seeing how the roll out continues in the coming years.”

William Bannister, chief executive of MFG, said: “Completing this roll-out of rapid charging bays across the Morrisons network in just five months is a testament to our team’s expertise and commitment. We are delivering on our promise to provide the infrastructure communities need to embrace electric vehicles, while continuing to invest in a best-in-class experience for all our customers.”

The Morrisons roll-out is in addition to MFG’s ultra-rapid charging hub pipeline – MFG EV Power will have around 1,900 bays in operation by Q4 2025. EV Power Ultra Rapid Charging Hubs offer up to eight charging bays alongside its petrol/diesel forecourts as part of a ‘dual fuel’ strategy. 

MFG will have over 100 Ultra Rapid Hubs on the Morrisons network alone by 2030, in addition to a further 400 hubs across its 1,218 service stations. 

This roll-out is part of full-scale redevelopments of MFG’s forecourts to deliver travel retail destinations with new food-to-go options including Pret, Greggs and Burger King, as well as convenience store retail refits, and development of car wash centres. MFG is investing around £170m in 2025 alone across its estate and is committed to this quantum of investment over the coming years.

MFG has approximately 1,300 sites across Great Britain. The group operates a franchise model partnering with strong brands including Morrisons, Esso, BP, Shell, Murco, Texaco and Jet, as well as being host to some of the country’s leading retailers including Greggs, Londis, Subway, Budgens, Burger King, Pret-a-Manger and Costa. MFG provides vital infrastructure that supports local communities.

The acquisition of Morrisons petrol forecourts and associated sites will see MFG accelerate its existing Ultra-Rapid EV charging roll-out strategy. MFG has committed to investing in excess of £400 million in 3,000 Ultra-Rapid 150kW, 300kW and 400KW EV chargers across 500 sites in the UK by 2030, and to complete its EV roll-out to all suitable remaining locations in its network by 2035.

MFG benefits from a significant real estate ownership, with 89% of sites in freehold or long leasehold.

The UK electric vehicle market is experiencing rapid growth, driven by increasing consumer demand, falling battery prices, and clear government targets to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. As of 2025, over 1.5 million EVs are now on British roads, with over 1 in 5 new car sales being fully electric vehicles.

EV charging infrastructure remains a critical enabler of this transition. Recent surveys show that access to reliable and rapid charging continues to be a top priority for EV drivers. MFG says the roll-out of high-speed charging at retail and forecourt locations is particularly important, empowering drivers to recharge quickly and conveniently during everyday journeys. Industry forecasts suggest that the UK will require 300,000 rapid and ultra-rapid chargers by 2030 to meet growing demand.