Britain’s first dedicated service station for electric cars is nearing completion, with retailers including WHSmith, Costa Coffee, Post Office, Booths, and Gourmade signed up to serve EV owners while they charge. The site is due to open near Braintree, Essex, this November.
Called the Electric Forecourt, the Braintree site will be the first of over 100 planned by the company GRIDSERVE in the next five years, as part of a £1bn programme to provide rapid charging. Construction on the first Electric Forecourt on a 2.5 acre site adjacent to Great Notley, just off the A131. This near to the main road between Stansted Airport and Colchester.
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The only way is Essex - if you want to see the future of service stations Up to 30 electric vehicles can be charged simultaneously with high power chargers that can deliver up to 350kW of charging power, enabling people to add 200 miles of range in just 20 minutes. This is faster than existing car technology allows, making the sites ‘future proof’.
While vehicles charge, drivers will be able to use a waiting lounge with free Wi-Fi, a dedicated kids’ area, or business meeting room ‘pods’. The ground floor has a coffee shop and convenience store.
Drivers will be able to call a dedicated helpline from each supercharger and receive advice from the AA about the charger or even their vehicle.
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350kW fast chargers mean your Costa won't get cold before you've charged Half of the Electric Forecourt’s chargers will be 350kW units, while the remainder have 90kW feeds. In addition, there are six Tesla Superchargers.
GRIDSERVE say the network of Electric Forecourts will be powered by solar energy and battery storage projects, ensuring carbon emission targets can be met, while also keeping prices low. All of the energy used at the Braintree Electric Forecourt will come from net zero-carbon power.
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Proof that the site isn't just a posh CGI rendering - it has real builders 
The only way is Essex - if you want to see the future of service stations 
