Allstar Business Solutions, the UK’s leading fuel management and EV charging card company today announced a new partnership with leading sustainable energy business, GRIDSERVE. The collaboration will pave the way for the Allstar One Electric card’s acceptance as the first third-party payment method alongside contactless on the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway.
With over 40 years of expertise, Swindon-based Allstar is accepted at over 90% of fuel sites across the UK. It has over 1.1 million cards in circulation across 50,000 businesses, giving drivers access to fuel spending across supermarkets, major oil companies, and motorway fuel stops. The network encompasses around 7,700 sites nationwide, alongside more than 2,700 charging locations and over 7,300 charge points across its electric vehicle charging network.
The partnership will enable the Allstar One Electric card and roaming cards that are part of the Network like Mina Chargepass to have full access to the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway including its two flagship Electric Forecourts in Braintree and Norwich, as well as its High-Power Electric Super Hubs and Medium Power Electric Hubs that cover 85% of the UK’s motorway service areas.
“Recent vehicle sales figures show that there is a clear and growing appetite from UK fleet operators to incorporate EVs into their businesses and ultimately make the full transition,” said Tom Rowlands, managing director of global EV solutions at Allstar Business Solutions.
“This [partnership] will help us to offer greater access to charging points for drivers and reduce any threat of range anxiety for vehicles on the road.”
The two companies working together will give more EV charging options through the Allstar One Electric card for fleet customers charging on the road. For fleet managers, drivers using the Allstar One Electric card, over the standard contactless payment method, allow for continued control and visibility during the transition to fleet e-mobility, according to Allstar.
The lack of adequate EV infrastructure has long been a critical barrier to integrating alternative fuelled vehicles (AFV) into business operations. To address this issue, Allstar has driven momentum within the EV market following the launch of Allstar One Electric, its EV on-the-road charging solution, as well as key strategic partnerships.
While the sale of new cars is stalling, the EV market is surging, particularly for light commercial vehicle sales, which rose by 21.4% in 2021. This is a sure indicator that many companies are already starting to plan for – and action – the implementation of electric vehicles in their fleets, notes Allstar.
Over the past year, GRIDSERVE has embarked on a multi-million-pound programme to upgrade over 160 charging locations with new chargers, deliver additional High Power Electric Super Hubs across the motorway network, each featuring a bank of 6 to 12 x 350kW-capable chargers, and opened a new flagship Norwich Electric Forecourt.
The rapid and far-reaching rollout has given huge numbers of drivers the confidence to know that they can depend on GRIDSERVE to provide a net-zero carbon charge at motorway service areas as they embark on long-distance journeys across the UK.
Commenting on the partnership, Toddington Harper, founder, and chief executive of GRIDSERVE said: “This decade is crucial for climate action and it’s vital that we deliver the solutions that will move the needle on climate change. The widespread transition to electric vehicles, powered by sustainable energy, is a key part of what’s needed.”