Petrol station giant EG Group is buying Tesla’s latest ultra-fast charging units to add to its rapidly growing charging network.

It’s the first deal that Tesla has signed to sell its ultra-fast chargers to a third-party charge point operator in Europe

The group, run by the billionaire Issa brothers who also own Asda, will brand the chargers using its existing EVPoint ultra-fast electric vehicle charging proposition.

It’s the first deal that Tesla has signed to sell its ultra-fast chargers to a third-party charge point operator in Europe, although not the first globally. Last month saw BP Pulse announce that it’s buying Tesla Superchargers for its US charging network as part of plans to scale up its provision.

EG Group’s Tesla chargers will start to go live by the end of 2023 and will be available on an open network basis, accessible by all EV drivers regardless of the brand of vehicle they drive.

The chargers will also support the Plug and Charge protocol, which simplifies and automates payments.

Launched in autumn 2022, EG Group’s EVPoint network already has more than 600 chargers across 189 sites and the brand is planning to roll out more than 20,000 across some 3,600 of its own sites “over time”. It’s also exploring opportunities across third-party locations.

Zuber Issa, founder and co-CEO of EG Group, said: “Securing this best-in-class equipment from Tesla marks another milestone for EVPoint and is hugely exciting for us. It is the first deal of its kind entered into by Tesla with a third-party charge point operator in Europe and will transform how our customers charge their vehicles and how they interact with EG. Since installing our first EV charger back in 2012, we have continued to invest in the technology. This deal will accelerate the delivery of vital charging infrastructure for motorists to help power the transition to net zero.”

Imraan Patel, chief strategy and business officer of EG Group, added: “Our aim is to deliver a three-pronged strategy to help us reach our energy transition goals. These include EV charging, supporting alternative forms of vehicular fuel, and broader carbon reduction, all of which are central to our strategy of helping the world transition to a lower carbon future.”

Tesla has said the move into selling its fast-charging hardware supports its mission to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy. Other announcements on new deals are expected to follow swiftly.

Rebecca Tinucci, Tesla’s senior director of charging infrastructure, said: “The rapid installation of reliable, easy-to-use EV charging infrastructure is the right step towards a sustainable future and a key area of focus for us at Tesla. For this reason, we’re excited to make our fast-charging hardware available for purchase to EG Group, and other leaders in the space.”