Site Spotlight – Evyve Charging Network – The Grange, Chelmsford

Evyve’s roadmap is bold and busy with rapid expansion planning in the UK with sites being acquired, built and unveiled on an e-mobility conveyor belt. But rapid expansion had exposed two pain-points we are familiar with.

1. Fragmented delivery chain. Using separate installers for signage, crash protection, bay marking and security adds admin and leaves standards to chance.
2. Bottlenecks, late-stage changes & hidden problems. Complications from drainage issues to utility access which are not communicated and only discovered once ground is broken, these issues can decimate timelines and bust budgets without warning.

Formula Space was asked to step in with a single-source package that tightened up feasibility, kept within budgets, deliver a smooth rollout and hit the utilisation targets Evyve’s strategy depends on.

The Formula Space Solution

1. Early-stage feasibility – Our experience in the space enables us to spot problems before they can cause issues. Inadequate pre-build planning is a prime trigger for cost overruns and programme blow-outs, often the case without one entity with site oversight; Catching those risks on paper costs pence compared with fixing them in concrete.
   
   
2. Way-finding and instructional signage – Clear, brand-aligned signs at every decision point cut the “where do I plug in?” loop. Modern parking-guidance data shows search time can drop by 45–55 % when drivers are guided properly, which means chargers start earning sooner and queues stay short.
   
   
3. High-contrast PAS 1899 bay marking – Bright infill, directional arrows and priority graphics speed up parking alignment, prevent ICEing, and keep the visual language consistent across all future hubs. Better markings translate directly into higher bay turnover and more kWh sold.
   
   
4. Crash-protection suite – We specify bollards and wheel-stops sized to the charger layout. The cost of a typical protective bollard package pales into insignificance compared to the revenue and reputational hit that even one damaged rapid charger can inflict.
   
   
5. HD CCTV with deterrent signage – Visible cameras make drivers feel safer and keep vandals away. A meta-analysis across 44 studies found crime in parking lots drops by 51 % when CCTV is installed, a site element which cannot be overlooked.

Bundling all five elements through one single source means Evyve’s operations team aren’t juggling fourteen workstreams; they get uniform standards, faster mobilisation and a single contact for changes and updates.

Scaling EV hub delivery at pace comes with real challenges, particularly when it comes to maintaining standards and keeping programmes on track. At Evyve, we’re moving fast with our rollout and hitting those numbers means every partner has to match our pace. Formula Space did exactly that: their single-source package for bay marking, signage, crash protection and security slotted straight into our build programme, kept standards tight and freed our team to focus on the next wave of hubs. If you’re serious about scaling at speed, you want Formula Space in your corner.

Ben Pinder – Operations Manager – Evyve
 

The Outcome

What our work at The Grange shows is that early-stage design and feasibility are key to controlling cost and delivery risk especially when scaling a network at pace. That’s why Evyve is focussed on uniformity in their site technical design process with an expert single-source delivery partner: to de-risk builds and create more cost certainty across the pipeline.

Formula Space is supporting that by providing site feasibility and early design services, helping Evyve move forward on key strategic locations without committing to full build costs too early.

Lessons for scalable EV Charging hub delivery

1. Feasibility first, budgets second. Catching construction risks on paper costs a fraction of fixing them in concrete.
   
   
2. Standards travel faster when they’re single-source. One integrated package keeps design language, safety spec and brand look identical from site 1 to site 40.
   
   
3. User-centred detail drives utilisation. Clear signage + clean bays = more kWh sold per charger, per day.
   
   
4. Protect what prints the money. A single bollard can save a day of lost revenue and negative review-generating outage.
   
   
5. Security is an investment, not a cost. Safer spaces attract night-time and lone drivers, widening your peak window plus improved uptime and lower unscheduled maintenance costs.