Gatwick airport has signed a deal with
sustainable energy company Gridserve that will see an electric car charging hub
built near one of the terminals.
Dubbed the Gatwick Electric Forecourt, the facility will be
located on the Ring Road South approach to Gatwick’s South Terminal and
adjacent to the M23 motorway. It will feature charging stations for up to 36
electric vehicles, which will be capable of adding up to 100 miles to a car’s
range in less than 10 minutes.
The site, labelled by Gatwick as the "net zero equivalent to a petrol station", is due to open in autumn 2022 and will also feature
a café, waiting lounge with free wifi, convenience supermarket, children’s play
area and a dedicated educational space to raise awareness of electric vehicles.
As with all of Gridserve’s current charging stations, the
site will be supplied with low-cost, 100 per cent renewable net zero carbon energy
generated by the company’s solar farms.
All Gridserve chargers offer contactless payment and require
a £1 bank card preauthorisation check to activate a charge.
Gatwick airport said the Electric Forecourt forms part of
its commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions for its internal operations
by 2040 and its broader aspiration to become a sustainable airport.
Gatwick’s chief commercial officer Jonathan Pollard said the
project will “help meet the increasing need for electric vehicle charging infrastructure
at the airport, including the growing number of passengers who own electric
vehicles and need fast, convenient and effective charging facilities”, as well
as airport staff and local businesses looking to add electric cars to their
fleet.
Gridserve opened the UK's first electric-only service station in Braintree, Essex last year.