Asda owner EG Group to acquire Tesla’s ultra-fast chargers

[Rustybkts]

This caught my attention but not really taking over the Superchargers than buying the hardware.
First paragraph mentions taking over the network.

Usual appallingly inaccurate journalism!

EG Group to acquire Tesla’s ultra-fast chargers

EG said the chargers will be branded evpoint and will be available to all electric vehicle drivers.

uk.yahoo.com

Petrol station giant EG Group has announced it is to acquire electric car manufacturer Tesla’s network of ultra-fast chargers.

EG, run by Asda owners Mohsin and Zuber Issa, said the chargers will be branded evpoint and will be available to all electric vehicle drivers.

Tesla so-called Superchargers are popular among EV drivers for their reliability and speed.

They could initially only be used to charge the company’s cars, but have been available to drivers of all electric vehicle brands in the UK since a trial in November last year.

Tesla’s chargers are well-regarded by EV drivers (Mike Egerton/PA)
Zuber Issa said: “Securing this best-in-class equipment from Tesla marks another milestone for evpoint and is hugely exciting for us.

“It is the first deal of its kind entered into by Tesla with a third-party charge point operator in Europe and will transform how our customers charge their vehicles and how they interact with EG.

“Since installing our first EV charger back in 2012, we have continued to invest in the technology.

“This deal will accelerate the delivery of vital charging infrastructure for motorists to help power the transition to net zero.”

Rebecca Tinucci, Tesla’s senior director of charging infrastructure, said: “The rapid installation of reliable, easy-to-use EV charging infrastructure is the right step towards a sustainable future and a key area of focus for us at Tesla.

“For this reason, we’re excited to make our fast-charging hardware available for purchase to EG Group and other leaders in the space.”

As of August, there were more than 1,100 Tesla chargers across the UK in 115 locations, according to the RAC.

 

[Morpheus84]

Glad you cleared this up. When it was said on LBC just now, it sounded like they were taking over the network. My immediate worry was increased pricing but the fact they are just using the actual hardware is good. Might also mean less non Tesla’s charge at Tesla chargers moving forward. I assume the EG versions will have longer cables to account for the various charge port locations!

 

[Sean.]

The Torygraph article at least doesn’t inaccurately report that EG are buying the network, just the boxes for their own sites!

https://archive.ph/ZlG4H

 

[spdpsba]

When it was said on LBC just now, it sounded like they were taking over the network.

Elon does weird things but he is not completely out of his mind to sell 10-20 billion worth of business (in total - may be around a billion dollar business in UK in the near future) to ASDA, unless he also buys ASDA for few millions.

 

[Bantam]

buying the hardware is all well and good but the best bit for me about tesla SUC is the software integration and how seamless it is. Will EG (and BP) have access to the Tesla software (white label version) or have to develop their own software.

 

[WannabeOwner]

“It is the first deal of its kind entered into by Tesla with a third-party charge point operator in Europe"

Other than BP presumably ...

 

[qwickshot]

Other than BP presumably ...

America only

 

[Pink Duck]

It is actually ASDA’s buy-out of Co-op stores with attached fuel stations (all 132 of them) that is the target here, since those stations are owned by EG Group and can have chargers upgraded, some from InstaVolt to Tesla V4 I suspect. Helps when you have billions.

 

[Sean.]

Helps when you have billions.

....in debt

 

[WannabeOwner]

America only

Ah, thanks. Did not know that

 

[WannabeOwner]

the best bit for me about tesla SUC is the software integration and how seamless it is.

Electrek has picked this up and included (which I don't think I saw on the earlier quotes)

• The chargers will also support the Plug and Charge protocol, which simplifies and automates payments.

 

[Sean.]

Electrek has picked this up and included (which I don't think I saw on the earlier quotes)

• The chargers will also support the Plug and Charge protocol, which simplifies and automates payments.

Yes I checked the press release from EG and it's there alright.

Just doesn't say whether its ISO 15118 'proper' certificate-based Plug & Charge or another variant based on VIN-ID liker Autocharge that Fastned use on their units (which isn't as secure or supported by all makes due to the pooling of VIN-ID by some makes like VW and Stellantis)

EG Group to acquire Tesla’s ultra-fast chargers to accelerate the rollout of evpoint charging network across the UK & Europe

www.eg.group

 

[ringi]

I now convinced we will soon see Tesla v4 chargers being enabled for 800v charging.

Hopefully EVs drivers who choose a car that don't fit in the space without blocking two chargers will be excluded or made to pay for both spaces.

 

[ringi]

I assume all these chargers will be CCS only, so no Leafs at EG group sites.

 

[thewishy]

I assume all these chargers will be CCS only, so no Leafs at EG group sites.

Hard to see that Tesla would go to the trouble of a redesign of the dispensers to allow two cables, updating the software stack, etc for what is basically a dying connector type.

 

[Js1977]

Hard to see that Tesla would go to the trouble of a redesign of the dispensers to allow two cables, updating the software stack, etc for what is basically a dying connector type.

Cant remember which but I thing its V2 that already dispenses two cables isn't it .... maybe palm those off

 

[Jason71]

Hard to see that Tesla would go to the trouble of a redesign of the dispensers to allow two cables, updating the software stack, etc for what is basically a dying connector type.

I find it hard to believe in 2023 that it makes any economic sense for anyone to continue to support chademo. The fact that so many chargers are still being installed that do really shakes my faith in unbridled capitalism.

 

[Epico]

I find it hard to believe in 2023 that it makes any economic sense for anyone to continue to support chademo. The fact that so many chargers are still being installed that do really shakes my faith in unbridled capitalism.

The new lexus ex-300e has chademo. I mean lexus/Toyota just seem to be sabotaging their own chances at the EV market with stupid decisions like that.

 

[MP3Mike]

Electrek has picked this up and included (which I don't think I saw on the earlier quotes)

• The chargers will also support the Plug and Charge protocol, which simplifies and automates payments.

All great, but Tesla vehicles don't currently support Plug&Charge.

I assume as Tesla adds support on the back-end, they will add support in the vehicles as well, at least at some point.

 

[Js1977]

I find it hard to believe in 2023 that it makes any economic sense for anyone to continue to support chademo. The fact that so many chargers are still being installed that do really shakes my faith in unbridled capitalism.

Yep.. they should be concetrantig on CCS2 instead and adapters (at the nissan/lexus owners cost) ... Latest lexus EV is a mess btw on this front.

However, our friends across the pond are stuck with CCS1 which is a cross of type 1 and CCS2 (neither native American) The original Tesla Standard makes much more sense to me from both of these.