Exercise bikes are to help power electric vehicle (EV) charging at GRIDSERVE’s first Electric Forecourt in Braintree.

The company has partnered SA Green Fitness and SportsArt to offer the solution, which uses G576U Upright Cycles. The energy produced from pedaling using these cycles is to contribute to the power grid for charging the vehicles at the forecourt.

Toddington Harper, founder and CEO of GRIDSERVE, said the partnership formed a “key part of our mission to support education initiatives, helping people to understand more about energy, and how clean energy can help contribute towards healthy and more sustainable lifestyles.”

Alongside the wellbeing area – which will house SportsArt’s G576U Upright Cycles – the forecourt is to have 350kW charging stations to accommodate 36 EVs and a lounge with high speed WiFi, washrooms and children’s area.

There is also to be a retail space with supermarkets and coffee shops and a designated spot for non-EV drivers to learn more about low-emission motoring.

Braintree was unveiled as the location for GRIDSERVE’s first forecourt in 2019, with plans to install solar PV and battery storage on site alongside the chargers.

Construction began on the site in March 2020, with plans for 100 such sites also in the works.

In April it was announced that Hitachi Capital had made a multi-million pound investment into GRIDSERVE to help fund the development of the Electric Forecourts as well as GRIDSERVE’s hybrid solar farms.

Read more: Current

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