Asda has significantly reduced the amount of electric vehicle (EV) charging points available at its stores, despite competitors heavily investing in the technology.
Recent data from RAC found that the supermarket chain has deactivated over two-thirds of its EV chargers. At the start of 2023, Asda had 165 chargers but now only has 46 in operation.
Following the termination of its partnership with EV charging company BP Pulse, Asda now only has functional chargers available at 2% of its stores, The Telegraph reported.
Last November Asda owners the Issa brothers’ petrol station company EG Group struck a deal with Tesla to install charging stations across their locations in the UK and Europe.
Although Asda acquired EG Group’s UK and Ireland operations last year, gaining control of 350 petrol filling station sites, it is understood that the agreement with Tesla will not extend to Asda car parks.
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The grocer is understood to be looking into options to replace the EV chargers in contrast to its grocery rivals in the UK.
At the start of the year Sainsbury’s launched a new EV charging business ‘Smart Charge’ which is currently available at around 200 ultra-rapid charging bays in more than 20 stores, with plans to expand to over 750 bays at more than 100 stores by the end of the year.
While last month, Tesco teamed up with Vauxhall to encourage more customers to “make sustainable choices” and switch to electric vehicles.
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