One of the key stumbling blocks to getting more people jumping aboard with the EV revolution is in the name – electricity. Range anxiety is one nightmare, but trying to charge up an electric car is just as unpleasant of an experience on many occasions. Between the lack of charging stations or coming across a charger just to find that it’s not working… Sigh. But at least, LSH Auto has been listening.
Recently, LSH Auto has announced that they’ll be working with premier charging network provider, ChargePoint, to add 21 new smart EV chargers at their dealerships. For now, they’ll be rolling them out at Mercedes-Benz of Whitefield and Mercedes-Benz of Tamworth. However, LSH Auto and the folks at ChargePoint will be adding even more EV charging stations down the line, later this year.
With Mercedes diving head-first into electrifying its line-up, as well as offering some of the best EVs that you can buy today, LSH Auto’s recent move is certainly a neat gesture. Although, the plan was originally rather different. Martyn Webb, the Managing Director of LSH Auto, said:
Initially our focus will be using the charging spots to charge new vehicles and EVs being serviced or repaired in our workshops, as well as providing the charging service to colleagues.
Although, from wanting to install EV chargers just to keep its own fleet topped up, LSH Auto pivoted to offering these chargers for customers, too. Mr Webb then added:
That said, we specifically chose ChargePoint as a company that will also be able to support our customers and the wider EV community as the shift to electric vehicles gains pace.
Diving In Head-First Into Electrification
This is great news for would-be clients, who will now be able to charge up their shiny new Mercedes at LSH Auto’s showrooms. On top of that, employees could also rest more easily knowing that their EVs won’t run flat on their way home, as they too could leverage these new chargers for their own cars. Mr Webb continued:
Many of our colleagues and customers are already EV drivers, so we’re excited to support them with these charging spots
As for why LSH Auto chose ChargePoint specifically, Martyn Webb replied:
We chose ChargePoint due to its vast experience and the flexible solutions it can offer our diverse sites. We will work closely with the ChargePoint team over the next few months and beyond, to grow our charging infrastructure to create the best charging experience for our customers and colleagues. ChargePoint also lets us report our progress toward sustainability goals by calculating the greenhouse gas emissions our EV drivers are avoiding. This is important to us as part of our ongoing commitment to EV innovation and sustainable practices.
This isn’t just a big deal for LSH Auto, as Joe Gorman, the UK, Ireland, and Nordics Director at ChargePoint, mentioned:
ChargePoint’s mission is to get every driver behind the wheel of an EV. To make that happen, drivers need to be able to charge everywhere they go and whenever they need to do so. We’re delighted that LSH Auto is supporting the shift to electric mobility by installing additional EV charging, initially in Whitefield and Tamworth and eventually throughout its UK dealerships.