Gridserve has announced plans to roll out a UK-wide network of “electric forecourts”. It wants to “offer significantly more high-power charging points than are currently available at most UK petrol stations”.

It is raising capital from investors in its first round of external funding and exploring relationships with landowners, developers, investors, EV manufacturers, fleet managers and retailers.

The company said it wants to have charging times of “a few minutes” for cars at prices that are competitive with charging electric vehicles at home.