Search: Zest

Southend City Council has installed new electric vehicle chargers at Alexandra Street Car Park, operated by Zest, replacing previous infrastructure. The deployment is part of the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure programme, one of the largest local charging schemes in the UK, backed by £1.4 million in government funding and Zest investment at no cost to the council. The chargers are now live and support the council's ambition to be a leading green city.

Why it matters: The project demonstrates how LEVI funding enables councils to upgrade public charging infrastructure without capital outlay, with Zest taking the investment risk. For CPOs and installers, it signals ongoing procurement opportunities as councils expand networks under government backed programmes.

UK public charging firm Zest will deploy more than 1,000 chargepoints across three Hertfordshire districts, supported by £1.8 million from the government's LEVI Fund and additional investment from Zest. The 15 year concession covers on-street charging in North Hertfordshire, St Albans and Welwyn Hatfield, with works expected to begin later this year. Zest will fund, operate and maintain the network, prioritising residential areas and underserved communities.

Why it matters: The contract demonstrates how LEVI funding is unlocking large scale on-street rollouts through long term concessions, offering a replicable model for councils seeking to address residential charging gaps. Procurement teams can benchmark the 15 year operate and maintain structure and the blend of public and private capital for similar tenders.

Zest has deployed EV charging infrastructure at the KFC site in Birstall Shopping Park, West Yorkshire, according to the Yorkshire Post. The installation adds charging capacity to a retail and dining location in the region. No details on charger count or power ratings were disclosed in the available excerpt.

Why it matters: The rollout demonstrates continued integration of charging into quick-service restaurant estates, a segment that offers dwell times suited to rapid charging and potential for repeat custom. For CPOs and site hosts, QSR partnerships can unlock high-footfall retail parks where charging complements existing amenities.

Charging provider Zest has installed six 120kW electric vehicle charging spaces at Croft Retail Park on Wirral, outside Starbucks and Wendy's stores operated by franchise partner Cafe Fortune. The Bromborough site follows an earlier joint deployment at a Somercotes retail park near Alfreton, forming part of an ongoing rollout between the two companies. Both firms emphasised the strategy of placing rapid chargers at roadside food and drink destinations where drivers already stop.

Why it matters: The partnership model between a charging operator and a hospitality franchisee shows how retail and food service landlords are becoming active infrastructure hosts, offering CPOs predictable footfall and dwell time. Repeat deployments at branded franchise sites may signal a scalable template for rapid charging rollouts across similar retail estates.

Zest has launched a rapid EV charging facility at a Farmfoods store in Bradford, according to TransportXtra. The installation adds to the charge point operator's growing network of retail site partnerships in the UK.

Why it matters: Retail forecourt deployments like this signal continued demand for rapid charging infrastructure at convenience locations, offering procurement teams a model for co-locating chargers with high footfall retail anchors.

Zest will install 4,046 public EV charging points across Thurrock, Essex, over 15 years under a council contract supported by the government's local electric vehicle infrastructure fund. Around 98% of the scheme will be funded by the charge point operator, with a mix of lamppost chargers, fast AC and rapid DC units prioritised for on street parking and underserved areas. The programme will also transfer 35 existing charging points onto the Zest network.

Why it matters: The contract demonstrates how local authority procurement backed by LEVI funding can deliver large scale residential charging infrastructure with minimal public capital outlay. The 15 year term and focus on lamppost and on street solutions offers a replicable model for CPOs targeting similar urban rollouts.

Zest has completed EV charger installations at six Home Bargains locations in Arbroath, Ballymena, Cardigan, Carrickfergus, Newport and Sunderland, with speeds ranging from fast to ultra-rapid. Two additional installations are underway at Home Bargains sites in Ashford and Leigh. Zest already operates chargers at Co-op, Tesco, Spar and Starbucks locations, as well as shopping centres including Metrocentre, Frenchgate, Chantry Place and Merry Hill.

Why it matters: The rollout demonstrates how discount retailers are becoming viable hosts for charging infrastructure, expanding the addressable site pipeline beyond premium retail. Zest's multi-retailer portfolio shows CPOs can scale by replicating a proven retail model across different grocery and convenience chains.

Hackney Council has opened a public survey asking residents to identify preferred locations for new on-street EV charge points, aiming to expand its network from 1,200 existing chargers to 3,000 by 2030. The East London borough already leads London with 464 chargers per 100,000 people and offers residents a flat 59p per kWh rate or a £16.25 monthly unlimited charging subscription through its CPO partner Zest and energy service Hackney Light and Power. The survey will inform lamppost and parking bay installations designed to maintain pedestrian access.

Why it matters: Hackney's resident-led site selection model and ambitious 2030 target signal a procurement approach that prioritises community input alongside dense urban coverage, offering CPOs a blueprint for scaling networks in space-constrained boroughs. The council's dual tariff structure and existing density benchmark set competitive expectations for operators bidding on similar municipal contracts across the UK.

Lewisham Council has partnered with charge point operator Zest to install a minimum of 200 on street charging points across the London borough over 15 years, backed by £1.5 million in initial investment from Zest. The first 14 charging bays have been completed, with the first point going live on Childers Street in December 2025. The project targets households without off street parking and is supported by the UK government's On Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS), at no cost to the council or taxpayers.

Why it matters: The 15 year operate and maintain contract demonstrates how local authorities can deploy residential charging at scale without upfront capital, a model that procurement teams in similar urban boroughs may replicate. ORCS grant support and a minimum 200 point commitment offer CPOs visibility on long term revenue in dense, on street markets.

Hackney Council has launched an online survey asking residents to request locations for new EV charge points as it approaches the halfway mark of its plan to deploy 3,000 chargers by 2030. More than 1,200 charge points have already been installed, with over 2,400 resident requests previously shaping the network. The programme is delivered in partnership with Zest, which is fully funding, installing and operating the infrastructure, and the council has committed to placing at least 10 per cent of all chargers on housing estates.

Why it matters: The resident-led site selection model offers procurement teams a replicable approach to demand mapping, while the 464 chargers per 100,000 people density benchmark and estate allocation target provide useful planning metrics for local authority tenders. Zest's full-funding concession structure demonstrates a viable commercial model for dense urban rollouts at scale.