MOTOR Fuel Group, the independent forecourt operator with over 900 sites across Great Britain, has announced that 500 ultra-rapid electric vehicle chargers have been installed across its network.
They have been installed across 112 hubs, by far the highest rollout in the independent forecourt sector. MFG has powered over 50 million zero carbon miles so far in 2023, the equivalent of driving round the world 2100 times. MFG is funding the roll-out through its cash flows and strong balance sheet, enabling the Group to commit to £400 million investment in ultra-rapid 150kW, 300kW and 400kW EV Chargers.
In 2023 alone, MFG has installed 230 Ultra-Rapid EV chargers at 59 locations across its network. This investment is necessary as, for example, in England, over 60% of dwellings in cities and urban areas do not have garages or other off-road parking provisions, and so must rely on electricity from publicly accessible networks. Therefore, the velocity of MFG’s EV roll-out will continue to accelerate as MFG invests ahead of the curve, giving drivers who were contemplating purchasing an electric vehicle the confidence that they could travel as easily as with a petrol or hybrid vehicle.
MFG hubs comprise between four and eight Ultra-Rapid 150kW EV Chargers per site. 150kW chargers can add 100 miles range in approximately 10 minutes, subject to the charging capability of individual car batteries. These will be augmented with 300kW and 400kW chargers as vehicle battery technology improves to maintain the fastest charging times across the MFG network, ensuring that MFG remains first choice for EV drivers across the UK
As MFG further establishes itself as a provider of essential infrastructure to enable the UK’s mobility revolution on the strategic road network, it intends to actively target other charging segments and expand its EV offering. This investment demonstrates a commitment to leading the forecourt sector in transitioning to a cleaner future, providing a significant boost to the Government’s decarbonisation and sustainability agenda and emissions target of being net zero by 2050.
Alongside its investment in EV, MFG has committed £50 million to improve its retail, food to go, and valeting offer to the consumer across the network. MFG’s investment will continue in the years ahead across its UK wide network, aimed at improving customer service across its sites. MFG will also consolidate its position as one of the largest drop box and home delivery locations for major logistics companies such as Amazon, InPost, and ByBox. Through these partnerships MFG can help provide crucial last mile delivery in an increasingly on-line retail environment.
William Bannister, Chief Executive at MFG, said: “When we launched our EV roll-out in March 2021 we committed to investing ahead of the curve in ultra-rapid chargers. I am therefore delighted that we have already passed the 500 ultra-rapid charger milestone and we are well on the way to delivering the next 500.
“Not only are we rolling-out chargers at a rapid pace, we are also ensuring that the customer experience is of the highest quality both through the ease of use of our chargers but also through the upgrade of our retail offering. Our commitment to EV is unwavering and I look forward to the continued growth of our network as MFG meets the national EV infrastructure requirement.”
