Kempower has completed its first electric vehicle (EV) charging project in the United Kingdom financed through its leasing partnership with DLL, marking the first UK deployment under a financing model designed to lower the upfront cost of installing public charging infrastructure.
The charging hub, located at Astwick Service Station on the northbound A1 near Hitchin in Bedfordshire, forms part of the partnership launched by Kempower and DLL in 2024 to support the rollout of DC fast-charging infrastructure across Europe.
Financing Model Targets Independent Operators
The financing solution combines equipment leasing with maintenance services, allowing charging operators to spread investment costs over time while securing long-term operational support.
Kempower said the approach is intended to reduce the financial barriers associated with EV charging infrastructure projects, particularly for smaller and independent forecourt operators seeking to expand into public fast charging.
Eight High-Power Charging Points Installed
The new charging hub features four Kempower Double Satellite chargers providing a total of eight CCS2 charging points.
The chargers are connected to two Kempower Power Units capable of delivering charging capacities of up to 400kW per connected vehicle, depending on vehicle compatibility and power availability.
The installation is expected to serve EV drivers travelling along the busy A1 corridor while supporting growing demand for high-power public charging.
Partnership Supports Infrastructure Expansion
Kempower and DLL said their financing partnership aims to make charging infrastructure projects more commercially accessible by reducing upfront capital expenditure and improving financial flexibility for operators.
The Bedfordshire project is the first UK installation completed under the agreement, with both companies aiming to support broader deployment of DC fast-charging infrastructure across the country and other European markets.
Shilan Raja, Director at HSRL, said the project has already received positive feedback from both EV drivers and industry stakeholders.
“Responses to our new chargers have been overwhelmingly positive from others in the industry. This project is the result of the collaboration between teams of people passionate about e-mobility, so it makes me proud to see the chargers being used by EV drivers every day. Financing the project through Kempower with DLL was a huge enabler.”
Mark McLoughlin, Energy Transition Country Commercial Manager for UK & Ireland at DLL, said the financing model is intended to help businesses overcome the high upfront cost of EV charging infrastructure.
“We partnered with Kempower because we wanted to enable its customers to be successful without the significant initial capex. In today’s world, where the initial cost of hardware is high, our financing solutions can make the deployment of EV chargers easier and more affordable.”
Kempower said it expects flexible financing models such as this to play an increasingly important role in accelerating public charging infrastructure deployment as electric vehicle adoption continues to grow across the UK and Europe.