Premier Inn’s owner Whitbread has announced a new partnership with utility firm Engie to roll out up to 1,000 electric driving charging points at its UK properties.
The GeniePoint Network rapid charging points will be installed at 300 locations, beginning with a commitment for 600 points over the next three years.
The move is part of Whitbread’s ‘Force for Good’ sustainability programme, which will also see the group eliminate the use of “unnecessary” single-use plastics by the middle of the decade.
Premier Inn owner pledges to eliminate unnecessary single-use plastics by 2025
Whitbread said that the high-power chargers “which will enable cars to replenish in around 30 minutes”, and will be available to guests and members of the public using ENGIE’s GeniePoint Network, accessed via the GeniePoint App or using a RFID card.
They will be installed at locations “installations across the Whitbread network of brands including its Premier Inn hotels and restaurant brands including Beefeater, Brewers Fayre, Cookhouse and Pub and Whitbread Inns”.
To promote the partnership, Premier Inn “changed” its name to “Plugged Inn” for the day.
Commenting on the news Simon Leigh, Group Procurement Director at Whitbread, said:
“Electric vehicles are one of the ways in which the UK strives for a greener future and we’re pleased to help drive this goal forward with what we believe is the UK’s biggest roll-out of rapid charging points to date.
“We know that ‘range anxiety’ is a real concern for many of our guests who own electric cars. Knowing that in many locations they will soon be able to arrive and have access to a high-speed charge point to quickly refuel their car while they relax and refuel themselves will be a great source of comfort.
“A combination of our excellent locations and guests being able to wake up knowing they can safely get back on the road again means Premier Inn and ENGIE are the perfect partners for these charge points.”
