Drive Energi will roll-out 2,500 new rapid electric vehicle (EV) chargers, supplied by Tritium, by 2025.

It plans to have 100 sites live by January 2020 and expects to become the UK’s largest DC rapid charging network.

James Moat, CEO of Drive Energi, said: “These chargers are not only the fastest and most advanced in their class, but incredibly easy to use and, with the world’s smallest physical footprint, to deploy as well – particularly in our cities and high-density areas where space is increasingly limited.”

Given the size and geographic range of the potential sites of the network, Drive Energi believes it will effectively eliminate range anxiety in the UK.

Each site will feature up to two Tritium Veefil-RT 50kW DC Rapid Chargers – capable of adding 60 miles of range in 20 minutes of charging – along with a number of lower-power AC chargers.

Tritium recently opened E-Mobility Innovation Centres in Brisbane and Amsterdam, enabling it to ramp up its research and develompent and increase production levels to cater for the rising demand in charging infrastructure across the globe.

The Drive Energi network is expected to be Tritium’s largest deployment of Veefil-RT 50kW DC Rapid Chargers for a single network.

“As the nation increasingly looks to electrify transportation, and as the ULEZ scheme comes into effect, the need for reliable, smart and easy-to-use charging infrastructure is critical,” said Kevin Pugh, business development manager for UK and Republic of Ireland at Tritium. 

“With the average daily commute in the UK in the vicinity of 20 miles, a single 20-minute charge will add about three days of range to an EV. The sheer scope of the proposed Drive Energi network means that people will easily be able to find a charger, no matter where they are and no matter when they need it,” he added.

In addition to working with Drive Energi to install the chargers, Tritium will supply 24/7 support for the network, including on-site support where and when required.