Public charging network Allego has announced plans to invest €100 million (£85.5 million) into the UK section of its Europe-wide charging network, with the funding set to be used by 2030 to support the installation of up to 1,400 ultra-rapid chargers. With Allego currently operating approximately 243 EV chargers in the UK, the investment marks a super significant expansion of its charging footprint in the country, and is one of the largest commitments to the UK’s public charging network seen this year.
Allego to bring thousands more public chargers to the UK
The European CPO first entered the UK market in 2017, but has so far grown at a much smaller rate in the country compared to rivals such as InstaVolt – but this investment changes that. Allego’s reasoning for the significant investment is that the UK public charging network ‘remains undersized’ compared to networks elsewhere in Europe, resulting in untapped opportunities for CPOs. Factor in the massive year-on-year rises in EV registrations too, and it’s easy to see why CPOs such as Allego are getting excited.
The expanded rollout will concentrate on high-traffic locations, both along major roads and in densely populated urban areas. Allego is seeking partnerships with businesses and property owners with existing locations which can accommodate and have demand for EV charging, such as retail and hospitality businesses. Allego has already struck such deals elsewhere in Europe to roll out its public chargers, such as with Burger King in France, and with German supermarket chain REWE.
Allego now operates across 15 European countries and has more than 35,000 charging points on its wider network. The UK expansion represents a significant scaling up of its presence in one of the region’s largest EV markets by volume.
Steven Salo, Executive Officer at Allego, commented:
“This €100 million commitment reflects our confidence in the UK electric vehicle market. The UK is electrifying quickly, but to keep up with demand the charging network must expand at the same pace. There is a clear need for more reliable, ultra-fast charging infrastructure, particularly along motorways and around the capital.
We believe that the new Government will make the right policy decisions to help this market grow. With a supportive and stable policy and investment environment, the EV charging sector can deliver a significant economic growth opportunity for the UK while providing the infrastructure increasingly needed by drivers and businesses.
This investment marks a major step forward for Allego. It will give us the scale to compete in the top tier of the UK charging market and bring our experience of operating across Europe to many more British drivers.”
