Daily EV news · UK · 5 February 2026
EV Charging
RHS Garden Hyde Hall installs EV chargers and offers week long free charging promotion
The Royal Horticultural Society's Garden Hyde Hall in Essex has installed new electric vehicle chargers and is marking the launch with a week long free charging event for visitors. The initiative is part of the garden's sustainability efforts to support the transition to electric mobility. Fleet World reported the installation, which adds charging infrastructure to the popular visitor attraction.
Why it matters
The rollout demonstrates how heritage and leisure destinations are integrating EV charging to meet visitor expectations, creating potential templates for similar sites. Free charging promotions at launch can drive early adoption and test demand patterns for future commercial charging operations.
Carwow highlights accessibility barriers at UK EV charging sites for disabled drivers
Carwow has published findings on the challenges disabled drivers face when using public EV charging infrastructure in the United Kingdom. The report examines physical access issues at charging locations, though specific figures on affected sites or user numbers were not disclosed in the available excerpt. The piece appears in the context of broader policy discussions around inclusive charging network design.
Why it matters
Procurement teams and charge point operators must consider accessibility compliance and inclusive design standards to avoid excluding disabled users and to meet potential regulatory requirements. Addressing these barriers now may reduce retrofit costs and reputational risk as accessibility rules tighten.
Gridserve opens first two Electric Freightway hubs for heavy goods vehicles in UK
Gridserve has launched the first two sites of its Electric Freightway network, a dedicated public charging programme for electric heavy goods vehicles across UK freight corridors. Extra Baldock opened with six eHGV charging bays and Moto Exeter with four, both featuring drive through layouts and signage designed for truck cab heights. Further hubs are planned for Tamworth and other locations as part of the current rollout phase.
Why it matters
The Electric Freightway addresses a critical infrastructure gap for long haul freight electrification by providing high power public charging separate from depot facilities. For CPOs and contractors, the dedicated eHGV format represents a new procurement category with specific civil, electrical and operational requirements distinct from light vehicle charging.
Kent County Council plans 10,000 on street electric vehicle chargers
Kent County Council has announced plans to install 10,000 on street electric vehicle chargers across the county. The rollout represents a significant expansion of public charging infrastructure in the region. Details on timeline and procurement approach have not yet been disclosed.
Why it matters
This large scale deployment will create substantial procurement opportunities for charge point operators and installation contractors in Kent. The 10,000 unit target signals one of the UK's more ambitious local authority charging programmes, likely requiring phased tendering over multiple years.
Electric Vehicles
Reading Buses launches 24 electric vehicles with new depot charging infrastructure
Reading Buses has deployed 24 all electric buses on routes 17 and 21, supported by new charging infrastructure at its Great Knollys Street depot. The vehicles can charge overnight in three hours using fast charge or accommodate two buses in six and a half hours, with sufficient range to run all day on existing schedules. The buses include passenger amenities such as heating, air conditioning, USB charging points, WiFi, recycling bins, wheelchair accessibility and a family area.
Why it matters
The deployment demonstrates a municipal operator scaling electric bus adoption with depot charging capable of overnight turnaround, offering a reference case for similar fleets evaluating infrastructure requirements. The three hour fast charge specification and all day range without schedule changes address key operational concerns for bus electrification projects.
UK electric car sales rose just 0.1% in January, momentum stalls
Electric vehicle sales in the United Kingdom increased by only 0.1% in January, according to This is Money. The minimal growth marks a sharp slowdown in the pace of EV adoption compared to previous periods. The report highlights stalling momentum in the UK's transition to electric mobility.
Why it matters
Flat EV sales growth signals weaker near term demand for public and workplace charging infrastructure, potentially affecting project pipelines and investment timelines for charge point operators. Procurement teams may face pressure to reassess rollout schedules if vehicle uptake remains sluggish.
Imperial Engineering works on Seahorse Amphibious Vehicles' EV
Imperial Engineering is collaborating with Seahorse Amphibious Vehicles on an electric vehicle project, according to Route One. No further technical or commercial details were disclosed in the available excerpt.
Why it matters
The partnership signals potential demand for specialist EV engineering services in niche vehicle segments, though the scope and charging infrastructure implications remain unclear from the limited information.
Imperial Engineering (uk) · Seahorse Amphibious Vehicles (uk) · Source
Grid & Energy
TotalEnergies signs 3.3 TWh power contract with Airbus for German and British sites
TotalEnergies has secured a 3.3 terawatt hour electricity supply contract with Airbus covering facilities in Germany and the United Kingdom, Reuters reports. The multi year agreement will see the energy major deliver power to the aerospace manufacturer's operations across the two countries.
Why it matters
Large corporate power purchase agreements of this scale signal growing appetite for dedicated energy partnerships that can underpin electrification strategies, including fleet charging infrastructure at industrial campuses. The deal highlights how energy suppliers are positioning to serve high consumption clients seeking long term supply certainty in markets central to European EV adoption.