Arnold Clark is to invest £23m to install more than 500 electric vehicle chargers across the UK. They will be available 24/7, be “totally secure” and Arnold Clark customers will get preferential rates.

The ambitious new Arnold Clark Charge network will use rapid DC chargers from Finnish company Kempower. Around 500 units, offering charge speeds up to 150kW, will be installed.

Arnold Clark Charge will offer more than 100 EV charging hubs across the country. Larger branches will have eight units, with smaller sites featuring between two and six.

“The Arnold Clark Charge network is a first of its kind in the UK,” said Kempower CEO Tomi Ristimaki.

Charging slots will be bookable via the Arnold Clark app – a unique USP, said CEO Eddie Hawthorne. The first hub, in Glasgow, is coming soon.

“Once all the charging hubs are installed and operational, we will become one of the largest independent ultra-rapid charging infrastructure suppliers in the UK, and will be an excellent milestone for our sustainability strategy.”

Arnold Clark sells over 300k cars a year from nearly 200 retailers.