Author: Daniel Brooks

West Northamptonshire Council has appointed Char.gy to install more than 3,000 on-street electric vehicle charging sockets as part of what the authority describes as one of the United Kingdom’s most ambitious local charging infrastructure programmes. The contract was awarded following a competitive tender process and will be supported by funding from the UK Government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund alongside substantial private sector investment. Lamppost chargers to support residents The rollout will primarily consist of EV chargers retrofitted to existing street lighting columns at council and parish-owned locations. The programme is designed to improve charging access for residents without…

The expansion of public fast-charging infrastructure in the United States slowed in the second quarter of 2026 as charging network operators shifted their focus from rapid expansion to improving reliability and profitability, according to charging data platform Paren. Operators installed 4,382 new fast-charging ports across 806 stations during the quarter, down 10% from the 4,865 ports and 891 stations added in the same period last year. However, installations increased 24% compared with the first quarter. Networks Shift Focus Paren said charging companies are increasingly building larger stations with more high-power chargers while investing in customer amenities such as restrooms, cafés…

Dublin Airport has introduced a new electric shuttle bus system supported by Ireland’s first pantograph charging infrastructure, as part of efforts to modernize passenger transport and reduce emissions across the airport campus. Airport operator daa said the project includes 14 battery-electric shuttle buses operated by Aircoach and a high-power charging system that allows vehicles to recharge during scheduled stops along their routes. Opportunity Charging Supports Frequent Services The pantograph charging system enables buses to receive rapid top-up charging at the end of each shuttle route rather than relying exclusively on depot charging. According to daa, the approach is designed for…

Norwegian energy companies Eviny and Statkraft have agreed to combine their public fast-charging operations in a deal that would create the largest fast-charging provider in the Nordic region, subject to antitrust approval. Under the proposed transaction, Eviny will acquire Statkraft’s electric vehicle charging subsidiary, Mer, in exchange for shares. The merged company will operate under the name Eviny Elektrifisering and will be headquartered in Bergen, Norway. Following completion of the deal, Eviny will own a 57% stake in the combined business, while Statkraft will retain the remaining 43%. Merger Targets Scale in Growing EV Charging Market The agreement covers only…

Dutch charging infrastructure operator Allego has selected Ampeco to provide the backend software for its European charging network, with the migration covering more than 35,000 charging points across 16 countries. The transition to Ampeco’s Charge Point Management System (CPMS) is expected to be completed during the fourth quarter of 2026. According to Ampeco, the migration will also include approximately 1.3 million charging sessions each month, more than 200,000 registered electric vehicle drivers and over 60 active roaming connections. Platform Selected Through Competitive Tender Allego said it chose Ampeco following a formal tender process that assessed potential suppliers on migration experience,…

German energy services provider Cubos has agreed to acquire TotalEnergies’ commercial electric vehicle charging business in Germany, marking the company’s third acquisition in the country’s charging sector within six months. The transaction will add approximately 6,000 AC and DC charging points to Cubos’ network, increasing its total footprint in Germany to around 15,000 charging points serving more than 1,000 business customers. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Business Customers Unaffected The acquisition covers only TotalEnergies’ business-to-business charging operations in Germany. According to the companies, existing customer contracts will remain in place, while charging infrastructure will be integrated gradually…

Ionity has introduced a new rewards program designed to encourage more efficient use of its ultra-fast electric vehicle charging network across Europe. The initiative, called Fast Lane Reward, offers drivers a 5-kilowatt-hour (kWh) charging credit if they end a charging session when their battery reaches 80% or use Ionity chargers during designated off-peak hours. The company said the program is intended to improve charger availability by encouraging drivers to free up charging points sooner, particularly during the busy summer travel season. Reward Available During Peak Daytime Hours The incentive applies to charging sessions that begin between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00…

Electrify America is expanding its deployment of North American Charging Standard (NACS) connectors, adding support for the charging interface at high-traffic locations across California and the eastern United States as adoption of the standard accelerates throughout the EV industry. The expansion will introduce NACS connectors at 14 charging sites, including the company’s first locations equipped exclusively with the Tesla-developed charging standard. California Rollout Begins Later this month, Electrify America will begin upgrading five flagship charging hubs in California by replacing selected Combined Charging System (CCS) connectors with NACS plugs while maintaining support for CCS-equipped vehicles. The first locations include: Harrison…

ESB eCars has introduced higher tariffs across its public electric vehicle (EV) charging network in Ireland and Northern Ireland, increasing charging costs for both pay-as-you-go customers and subscribers while simplifying its pricing structure for DC charging. The revised tariffs group all direct current (DC) chargers above 50kW into a single pricing category, replacing the previous tiered system. New Charging Prices In the Republic of Ireland, pay-as-you-go customers now pay €0.60 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) when using AC chargers of up to 50kW and €0.72/kWh for all DC chargers above 50kW. Under the previous pricing model, ESB eCars charged different rates for…

UK charge point operator Zest has deployed more than 3,000 public electric vehicle charging points nationwide, reaching the milestone just over four years after the company was established. Founded in Leeds in 2021, Zest said each charging point represents an individual parking space, rather than multiple charging connectors serving a single bay. Community-Focused Charging Network The company has concentrated its rollout on locations close to where people live, work and visit, combining on-street chargers with fast AC and rapid and ultra-rapid DC charging stations. The approach is intended to improve charging access for electric vehicle owners who do not have…

Danish EV charging software provider Monta has expanded its European charging network through a partnership with charging platform Plugsurfing, enabling businesses using its platform to access more than 1.1 million public charging points across the continent. The integration is delivered through the Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI) roaming standard, allowing charging operators on Monta’s platform to connect to Plugsurfing’s network without signing additional agreements or completing separate technical integrations. Roaming Network More Than Doubles According to Monta, the partnership increases the number of charging points available through its roaming network from approximately 600,000 to more than 1.1 million across 26…

Berlin’s public transport operator BVG has started test operations of a new fast-charging station for battery-electric buses at Marzahn S-Bahn station, supporting the continued electrification of the city’s bus network. The new facility enables buses equipped with pantograph charging systems to recharge directly at the terminus, allowing vehicles to remain in passenger service for longer without returning to a depot. Electric buses operating on routes X54, 191, 195 and 291 are expected to begin using the charging station during scheduled layovers. Charging Network Expansion Under Stella Project The Marzahn installation forms part of BVG’s Stella project, which will introduce fast-charging…

Terawatt Infrastructure has secured a five-year senior secured credit facility of up to US$300 million to accelerate the expansion of its charging infrastructure network for autonomous and electric vehicle fleets across the United States. The financing package includes US$150 million in committed funding at closing, with an option to increase the facility by an additional US$150 million. The transaction represents Terawatt’s first commercial bank credit facility. Financing to Support Network Expansion The proceeds will be used to acquire and develop charging depots serving autonomous vehicle (AV) and commercial electric vehicle (EV) fleets throughout the United States. The financing syndicate was…

Ionity will increase charging prices across parts of its European fast-charging network from July 1, 2026, affecting selected tariffs for ad-hoc users, app customers without subscriptions, and drivers with newer subscription plans. The charging network operator said the changes will result in an average price increase of around 4% across affected markets. Higher Energy Costs Driving Price Changes Ionity informed customers of the upcoming adjustments via email, attributing the increase primarily to rising electricity procurement costs across European energy markets. The company explained that operators of large charging networks typically purchase electricity in advance through long-term wholesale contracts to reduce…

Greek charging operator PPC Blue has signed a partnership agreement with Romanian home improvement retailer Dedeman to deploy more than 600 electric vehicle charging points across Romania, expanding charging access at retail and logistics locations nationwide. The project will see charging infrastructure installed at over 60 Dedeman stores and two logistics centres, including dedicated charging facilities for electric trucks. PPC Expands Romanian Charging Network The agreement marks the latest step in Public Power Corporation’s expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure in Romania. PPC entered the Romanian market in 2023 through the acquisition of Enel Romania from Italy’s Enel Group. Since…

German companies The Mobility House and EcoG have partnered with Chinese manufacturer EV-Tech to bring a new bidirectional DC wallbox to market, aiming to accelerate the adoption of Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) and Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) technologies. The companies announced that their jointly developed ChargeLine BiDi wallbox has entered series production and certification, offering a compact charging solution designed to integrate electric vehicles into home energy systems and electricity markets. Designed for bidirectional charging The ChargeLine BiDi operates at 800 volts and delivers up to 11kW of charging and discharging power. While the output matches that of many residential AC wallboxes, the new…

UK-based fleet electrification specialist Zenobē has secured £980 million in new financing to expand its electric vehicle fleet platform across the United Kingdom and Ireland. The funding will support the deployment of more than 1,200 additional electric buses and associated charging infrastructure over the next three years, further strengthening the company’s position in the growing zero-emission transport sector. Funding Supports Large-Scale Fleet Electrification Zenobē said the latest financing round increases its total capital raised since 2017 to more than £3.2 billion. Combined with the company’s €325 million European fleet financing facility announced in 2025, the new funding is expected to…

Prague has officially opened its largest electric vehicle charging hub for regular public use, providing capacity for up to 161 vehicles to charge simultaneously at a single location. The charging facility, located on Novovysočanská Street in the Praha 9 district, has completed a year-long testing period and is now operating as part of the Czech capital’s expanding electric mobility infrastructure. The hub is operated by energy company Pražská energetika (PRE), in which the City of Prague holds a stake. High-Capacity Charging Infrastructure The site includes a total of 161 charging points, of which 147 are available to the public. The…

InCharge Energy, a North American provider of electric vehicle charging and energy infrastructure solutions, has secured a $46 million strategic investment led by S2G Investments, with participation from investment manager QIC, as the company seeks to expand its presence in broader energy management and infrastructure services. The funding will support InCharge’s growth beyond EV charging into areas such as electrical infrastructure and distributed energy resources, while accelerating development of its software platform and expanding its nationwide service network. Expanding Beyond EV Charging The investment comes as the installed base of EV chargers continues to grow across North America, increasing demand…

Portuguese charging technology company i-charging has introduced the AiO 500, a new all-in-one direct current fast charger designed to deliver up to 500 kW of charging power from a compact standalone unit. The charging system is capable of operating at up to 1,000 volts and features two charging connectors with dynamic power-sharing capabilities, allowing available power to be allocated between two vehicles in real time. According to i-charging, the AiO 500 is intended for motorway corridors, fuel stations and urban environments where charging demand is high but available space is limited. The company plans to begin deliveries in selected European…