EQT Infrastructure V fund buys InstaVolt from Zouk Capital and will support its acceleration plan to reach 10,000 rapid electric vehicle chargers by 2032

EQT Infrastructure V fund buys InstaVolt from Zouk Capital and will support its acceleration plan to reach 10,000 rapid electric vehicle chargers by 2032

(PRESS RELEASE) STOCKHOLM, 22-Feb-2022 — /EuropaWire/ — EQT, a purpose-driven global investment organization, has announced that its EQT Infrastructure V fund has acquired InstaVolt from Zouk Capital, an infrastructure and private equity fund, and will invest further to support the company’s acceleration plan to reach 10,000 rapid electric vehicle chargers by 2032. InstaVolt is the UK’s fastest-growing independent rapid electric vehicle charging operator that currently runs some 700 charge points nationwide.

Headquartered in Basingstoke, UK, InstaVolt is an operator and owner of electric vehicle (EV) charge points with a nationwide network across the UK. The Company was founded in 2016 and is built on a strong vision to enable the UK’s journey to net zero through mass adoption of EVs. As a third of British households lack access to off-street charging, many rely on public charging stations. InstaVolt’s mission-critical nationwide network of reliable charge points offers secure charging for EV owners to depend on. With EV sales in 2021 totalling more than the five previous years combined, and the UK banning the sale of petrol and diesel cars from 2030, the future is clearly electric.

InstaVolt’s charge points are most often situated at retail, food, beverage and forecourt sites, offering a convenient service for the end-user who can combine their charge with other day-to-day activities. Current partners include McDonald’s, Costa Coffee and Booths, among others. By providing a reliable, easy-to-use and easily accessible service to its customers, InstaVolt has been rated the most popular open network by EV drivers consecutively for the last four years.

EQT Infrastructure is committed to invest significantly to accelerate InstaVolt’s expansion of charge points across the UK, and support the mission to roll out 10,000 rapid EV chargers by 2032. The Company’s strong market position, combined with EQT’s deep knowledge within energy transition and sustainability, will set-up InstaVolt for further success, both in the UK but also abroad.

Anna Sundell, Partner and Head of EQT Infrastructure’s UK Advisory Team, said, “The future is electric and InstaVolt is essential to the roll-out of EV charging infrastructure across the UK, a prerequisite for enabling mass adoption of EVs. We are excited about supporting InstaVolt in the next phase of growth and for EQT to play its part in decarbonizing the transportation sector and driving the transition towards net zero in the UK and beyond.”

Adrian Keen, InstaVolt’s Chief Executive Officer, added, “InstaVolt has set a standard in the UK for driver experience and infrastructure, and now with support from EQT, we are in a unique position to accelerate that target and replicate our model in other geographies, transitioning the business into the next phase of growth. We want to thank our partners and customers who have supported us on our journey so far and want our customers to be reassured that what has made InstaVolt so successful, including our focus on reliability and ease of use, remains unchanged.”

The investment sees founding investor Zouk Capital exit after establishing the Company with the InstaVolt management team in 2016. Zouk is the manager of the Charging Infrastructure Fund (“CIIF”) and has a central objective of scaling open-access, public EV charging networks for the UK’s EV drivers.

Massimo Resta, Partner at Zouk Capital, Massimo Resta, “The InstaVolt team and Zouk identified the opportunity in 2016 and built one of the leading rapid EV charging infrastructure companies in the UK. We believe the management team are in great hands with EQT and wish InstaVolt the very best for the next stage of their journey.”

RBC Capital Markets acted as exclusive financial advisor and Simpson Thacher & Bartlett acted as legal advisor to EQT Infrastructure.

With this transaction, EQT Infrastructure V is expected to be 65-70 percent invested (including closed and/or signed investments, announced public offers, if applicable, and less any expected syndication) and subject to customary regulatory approvals.

About EQT
EQT is a purpose-driven global investment organization with EUR 73.4 billion in assets under management across 28 active funds. EQT funds have portfolio companies in Europe, Asia-Pacific and the Americas with total sales of approximately EUR 29 billion and more than 175,000 employees. EQT works with portfolio companies to achieve sustainable growth, operational excellence and market leadership.

More info: www.eqtgroup.com
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About InstaVolt
InstaVolt owns, installs, and maintains rapid electric vehicle charging units nationwide, giving landowners the opportunity to earn a rental income by housing them, and giving EV drivers access to the fastest charging available. It believes that charging an electric vehicle should be quick and easy. It’s why, unlike many other companies, InstaVolt operates an ‘open charger’ model, so anyone can use its charging points on a pay-as-you-go basis. No membership cards are required.

At the company’s core is a mission to make the UK an easier place to recharge – meaning more electric vehicles on the road and better air quality for all. InstaVolt’s achievements have been recognised by the industry and drivers alike. The company won “Private Sector Infrastructure of the Year” for the second consecutive year at the Electric Vehicle Innovation & Excellence (EVIE) Awards 2021 and topped the Zap-Map survey for the 4th year in a row, named as the UK’s Best Public Network. It was also voted as the UK’s most reliable public EV charging network, as voted by readers of What Car? Magazine in July 2021.

More info: www.instavolt.co.uk

About Zouk Capital
Zouk Capital is an infrastructure and private equity fund manager investing in the sustainable economy. Zouk’s investment strategy focuses on the opportunities emerging at the intersection of infrastructure, technology, and sustainability in response to some of the most pressing environmental and social challenges of our time. Our Infrastructure track focuses on investing in environmental infrastructure and renewable energy in sectors such as electric vehicle charging infrastructure, waste-to-energy, and distributed small-scale energy, in Europe and the UK. Our Technology track helps commercially proven, technology-enabled companies to accelerate their growth, increase market share, and create value while delivering scalable environmental and social impact in the process. The team’s deep-seated commitment to sustainability ensures that ESG is placed at the core of every investment. Based in London, Zouk manages approximately €1billion, including the £420m Charging Investment Fund (CIIF), sponsored by the UK Government and focussed on the public EV charging market in the UK.

More info: www.zouk.com

Contact
EQT Press Office, press@eqtpartners.com, +46 8 506 55 334

SOURCE: EQT AB