EV Magazine January 2023 | Page 63

This could perhaps be a method for the high-street to claw back some of its losses post-pandemic , after the industry was hit hard by the global shutdown and repeat lockdowns as a result — not to mention the increased emphasis on ecommerce .

Offering charging for the public will act as a selling point now , but is destined to become a ‘ must-have ’ in the future , and the retail and lifestyle outlets that fall behind in adopting public charging options are leaving themselves exposed in the future .

A great example of the trend comes when we look at Shop & Charge , a collaboration between the automotive giant Stellantis , BeCharge ( a Plenitude business ), and Carrefour Italia .

SHOPS MUST CATER FOR EV CHARGING NEEDS

The most feasible option for drivers in hardto-reach areas in Europe is to power up at their nearest charging station , similar to the process that consumers with internal combustion engine ( ICE ) vehicles have been doing for decades .

Supermarket chains have inherited the duty of providing ample charging stations for their customers to make owning an EV much easier . Alternatively , we ’ re seeing more and more charging points popping up in public multi-storey car parks and shopping centres to cater for the needs of EV drivers .

TANYA SINCLAIR SENIOR DIRECTOR , POLICY , EUROPE AT CHARGEPOINT

EVMAGAZINE . COM [ Jan 2023 ] 63