Mer Teams Up with Allstar Business Solutions to Support Easier EV Charging

The partnership will see Allstar’s customers access over 160 charge points operated by Mer – helping to reduce range anxiety for motorists making the switch to electric vehicles (EVs).

For Mer, which is owned by Norwegian energy giant Statkraft – Europe’s biggest generator of renewable energy – the deal further strengthens its commitment to enabling more accessible EV charging.

As the UK ramps up its transition to EVs – accelerated by the Government’s 2030 ban on the sale of new diesel and petrol cars and vans – one of the biggest challenges motorists will face is being able to charge their vehicles where and when they need to.

Although charging infrastructure is being built rapidly across the country’s major road networks, and at-home solutions are becoming cheaper and more effective, there are still several gaps where there is an urgent need for accelerated EV charging deployment. These include high-usage high-footfall locations like workplaces, public places, car parks and residential areas where drivers do not have access to their own off-street charging.

Mer, which has years of experience building out EV infrastructure in Norway, Sweden, Germany, and now more recently in the UK, is focused on working with businesses and local authorities to serve these areas and help meet the estimated 400,000 public chargers needed by 2030. Where Mer also supplies the power to its chargers, it only uses zero-carbon, 100% renewable energy from electricity generated solely by wind, solar and hydro sources.

Commenting on the partnership, Mer UK’s Managing Director, Anthony Hinde, said: “We’re delighted to have agreed this partnership with Allstar. Together we will help reduce the concerns EV drivers have about finding somewhere convenient and accessible for them to charge-up.”

“As the country scales up its charging infrastructure, partnerships like this one will be key to serving motorists in a frictionless way.” – Anthony Hinde, Mer UK Managing Director

Paul Holland, Managing Director of UK Fuel at FLEETCOR UK, added: “There has been some clear momentum gained in the electric vehicle movement in recent times.

“By partnering with Mer, we are both helping the UK’s fleets to make the switch to EV seamlessly, with increased convenience for charging sites, as well as reducing range anxiety as we continue to add more charging points to our growing network.” – Paul Holland, Managing Director of UK Fuel at FLEETCOR UK

The partnership with Allstar is one of a number of roaming agreements Mer has entered recently, as it continues to work towards its vision of an open and accessible charging network to all EV drivers. Mer has also formed alliances with the AA to help support their EV drivers get better customer support, and joined the Scaling-on-Street Charging Infrastructure project (SOSCI) to install charging points in the North of England – as part of the company’s commitment to delivering more inclusive charging.

Statkraft recently debuted on the European EV charging market with the newly created brand Mer, a consolidation of its EV charging businesses (including previous UK operations Gronn Kontakt) under one identity.

Mer aims to become a European leader in sustainable EV charging, with a focus both on using renewable energy as the source of power, and on creating the best experience possible for EV drivers.