Q-Park UK and Chargemaster partner to put EV charging anxiety at bay

The operator of the largest EV charging network in the UK, Chargemaster, will take responsibility for operating and maintaining all 124 electric vehicle (EV) charging points across parking provider, Q-Park’s, London facilities from 1 August 2016 onwards. In an agreement between Chargemaster and the country’s premier car park operator, the charging points will become part of the POLAR public charging network.

The POLAR network, operated by Chargemaster, is comprised of more than 4,000 charging points across the UK and boasts a serviceability record that exceeds 98%. Under the new partnership, chargers at Q-Park’s sites across London will be upgraded to the latest specification units and fully maintained by Chargemaster. The company also plans to install additional charging points in the coming months to keep pace with demand from a growing number of EV owners and Q-Park customers.

In the last three years, there has been a remarkable increase in demand for electric vehicles in London and across the UK. The number of plug-in cars on UK roads increased from less than 7,000 in 2013 to more than 66,000 in the first half of July 2016. According to predictions by the AA, there will be more than 500,000 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in use by 2020. To meet this increased demand, Q-Park’s new partnership with Chargemaster will ensure charging points are maintained to the highest standard, with additional and updated charging points installed as required.

David Martell, Chargemaster CEO said: “Today’s growing number of EV owners in major cities and across the UK expect to find an available, fully functioning, charging point wherever they park. This is something that we believe is paramount to the sustained uptake of EVs, so we are glad that Q-Park customers will now be able to take advantage of the latest charging technology, and Chargemaster’s market-leading reliability rate of more than 98%.”

Chargemaster, which operates more than 4,000 public charging points under the POLAR network, is renowned for its customer service and satisfaction scores, as well as the quality and reliability of its units.

Adam Bidder, managing director of Q-Park UK and Ireland said: “We have always been keen to encourage EV motoring in London, and have invested significantly to build a network of 124 charging points across our 20 sites. Our new partnership with Chargemaster allows us to offer customers a higher level of reliability, and to further expand our network in the future.”

Q-Park is one of the leading providers of parking facilities in the UK, based in convenient locations in major city locations including London, Manchester to Glasgow and Edinburgh. Q-Park has seen year on year growth of EV customers, especially in London, and offers a range of flexible, cost effective season tickets including 50% off for electric vehicle parkers.

To access the Q-Park charging points, motorists need to join POLAR at: www.polar-network.com. The monthly POLAR subscription is just £7.85 per month, and membership is free for six months. Membership enables motorists to gain access to all 4,000 charging points across the UK. To reflect the increase in charge point usage, a small charge will be levied to recover the cost of electricity at just 9p per kWh – less than the average electricity cost at home.

About Q-Park

Q-Park is an international parking company, focused on value development by providing high-quality services in purpose-built parking facilities and off-street parking at strategic locations. Q-Park's activities focus on providing services related to parking at targeted locations: in or near multifunctional inner-city areas, at public transport interchanges and at hospitals. We supply services that fulfil customers’ demands, and their need for convenience, reliability and hospitality.