Volkswagen ID.3 on UK public roads as VW and Tesco mark FREE electric car charging at 100 sites

Volkswagen and Tesco are rolling out electric car charging at Tesco stores around the UK with Pod Point, with free charging at 100 sites so far.

It’s more than a year since VW and Tesco announced free electric car charging was being rolled out across Tesco’s stores on the UK by Pod Point, and the stated aim was to deliver 2,400 electric charge points for visitors to Tesco’s stores.

VW and Tesco seem quite chuffed with the progress they’re making, trumpeting the 100th site to be fitted out with Pod Point chargers, and even sent out a new ID. 3 to Tescos in Potters Bar to celebrate, the first time the ID. 3 has been seen on public roads in the UK (above).

The ‘pitch’ from VW and Tesco is that the average shopper spends 50 minutes a week at the supermarket, and by using the free Pod Point chargers at Tesco stores they could get around 22 miles of free charging – enough to have got from home to the store and back.

We’re not entirely sure what the average spend in Tesco’s for a 50-minute shop is, but the free charging giveaway won’t be costing Tesco more than £1 per shop as the free charging only relates to 7kW charging, with 50kW charging – where it’s available – charged at ‘market rates’.

Jason Tarry, Tesco CEO, said:

We’re now well on our way to achieving our ambition of installing more than 2,400 EV charging bays across 600 Tesco stores.

Providing customers with charging points offers them a sustainable choice and giving them the opportunity to charge their car for free while they shop is another little help to make their lives easier.

It’s a good initiative, but the plan to put 2,400 points across 600 stores is only covering about one in six Tesco stores, and we’d much prefer to see the option of, say, 45 minutes of 50kW charge based on a minimum spend.