Manchester-based electric vehicle (EV) charging network Be.EV has signed a €23.7 million partnership with Schroders Capital, paving the way for the installation of more than 200 charging bays at 22 retail and leisure sites across the UK.
The startup is majority owned by Octopus Energy Generation and backed by institutional investors including NatWest and KfW.
Asif Ghafoor, CEO of Be.EV, said: “Like the thousands of drivers who use our network each day, Be.EV is going places. This is a landmark deal for Be.EV and we are excited to help the big brands who occupy the retail parks in Schroders portfolio benefit from the increased footfall benefits EV charging brings. I would like to congratulate all the team at Be.EV for their hard work in securing this important deal.”
Founded in 2019, Be.EV has grown rapidly with over 750 public charge points nationwide. Its network reportedly boasts an uptime of 99.6%, and is positioned to support both urban and transit needs. According to Be.EV, they take a community-led approach to infrastructure development, with a design-focused and data-informed strategy for site placement.
Under the agreement, Be.EV will fully fund the deployment and long-term maintenance of Kempower ultra-rapid chargers, offering speeds of up to 300kW. These systems can reportedly deliver up to 325 miles of range in just 20 minutes. The rollout will span a number of key retail and leisure properties managed by five Schroders Capital real estate funds, including Schroder Real Estate Investment Trust and Schroders Capital UK Real Estate Fund.
The locations involved include some of the “UK’s most prominent retail and leisure parks“, with tenants such as Sainsburys, Aldi, Lidl, Costa Coffee, KFC, McDonalds, Nandos, Pizza Express, Starbucks, Marks & Spencer and IKEA. Each charging hub is expected to feature between six and twelve bays and will be operated under 20-year leases with index-linked market rents, providing Schroders Capital clients with a long-term, inflation-protected income stream.
Legal agreements have already been exchanged on the first three locations, with additional sites expected to follow shortly.
Matthew Baddeley, Lead Asset Manager at Schroders Capital, added: “Improving the UK electric charging network is essential in supporting the UK’s energy transition goals, whilst it also aligns with our own net zero targets. Be.EV’s offering is highly compelling and we look forward to welcoming them to the Schroders Capital’s retail warehouse portfolio.”
As EV adoption continues to climb—registrations of new EVs are projected to rise by 31% in 2025—retail destinations are increasingly seeing charging infrastructure not only as a sustainability initiative, but also a means of driving increased footfall and dwell time. Research cited by Be.EV found that 57% of drivers visiting a public charger go shopping or visit a café while they wait—an increasingly valuable pattern for retail operators.
Read the orginal article: https://www.eu-startups.com/2025/05/be-ev-is-going-places-british-ev-charging-network-signs-e23-million-deal-to-install-charges-across-the-uk/
