Be.EV signs £1.8m deal to serve up charging at pub chain
Pub chain JW Lees has named Be.EV as its new charging partner in a £1.8 million deal to bring ultra-rapid charging to its locations.
The agreement will see the Manchester-based charging operator install a total of 22 new ultra-rapid chargers at seven pubs around the North-West, serving an estimated 12,500 local drivers.
Be.EV will invest £1.8m to install and operate the chargers at JW Lees sites, with the two businesses sharing the revenue from charging sessions.
William Lees-Jones, managing director at JW Lees, said: “As an EV driver myself for the last five years I know how important it is for drivers to have reliable, affordable and convenient EV chargers at pubs and at JW Lees we are working with Be.EV to make our pubs best in class in terms of EV provision.”
Research by Be.EV found that 78% of EV drivers say it is ‘essential’ or ‘important’ for charge points to be in convenient locations. The firm’s CEO Asif Ghafoor said that partnerships such as the deal with JW Lees made access easier as well as providing the ability for customers to add up to 165 miles of range in a 20-minute stop.
He said: ”Regional partnerships are a cornerstone to the regeneration of our local areas, and we’re proud to be partnering with such a well-established northern business.
“Our charging hubs will offer JW Lees pub-goers a convenient moment to charge their car, and the chain is getting ahead of the curve by providing reliable, high-quality charging facilities for their customers so they can charge and drive responsibly.
“Some of the sites had charging technology that needed an upgrade. Fast chargers are already becoming outdated, and pub landlords need to consider upgrading their technology before they fall even further behind.”
The roll-out is already underway, with four existing fast charging devices at the Aviator in Stockport upgraded to six ultra-rapid chargers. New devices are also in operation at The Urmston (Stretford), The Millgate (Failsworth), The Bluebird Inn (Balderstone) and Duke of Gloucester (Crewe).
A further two pubs – the Pointing Dog (Cheadle) and the Moss Trooper (Altrincham) – will have chargers installed in early 2025.
