Pod and Close Brothers Motor Finance announce multi-year EV partnership
Pod and Close Brothers Motor Finance (CBMF) have today announced a multi-year partnership that will give CBMF’s network of more than 5,000 motor dealer partners, and the drivers they serve, easier access to EV charging at home and on the forecourt.
With EV sales continuing to grow across the UK, more car dealers are looking for a charging partner who can help them ready their forecourts, support their staff and make the switch easier for customers. Pod has been working with leading partners across the automotive industry for more than 17 years and has installed over 250,000 chargers in the UK – giving CBMF’s dealer network a trusted partner as their customers go electric.
Through the partnership, customers buying an EV from a CBMF dealer can get 10% off a home charger at the point of sale – helping take cost and complexity out of switching to electric and running an EV. CBMF’s dealer partners can also offer their customers a home EV charger on a three-year subscription through Pod Drive, with the usual upfront £99 fee waived. These options, combined with CBMF’s new electric car PCP product, make going electric more affordable for drivers across the UK.
Customers will get the Pod Point Solo 3S at a discounted rate, with a Which? endorsed install service and access to 24/7 customer support. They will then benefit from Pod Rewards, Pod’s programme that pays drivers cash for smart charging at home, earning up to £100 a year on top of any off-peak tariff savings.
Separately, Pod offers to install commercial EV chargers at participating dealer sites, so that visitors, employees, customers and test-drive vehicles can all plug in while at the dealership – keeping stock cars and demonstrators charged and ready, and giving drivers somewhere to top up while they shop or wait. Free site assessments help dealers identify the right setup for their forecourt, and Pod’s tailored programme of training, webinars and masterclasses gives dealer staff the confidence to advise customers on both home and workplace charging.
John Cassidy, managing director at Close Brothers Motor Finance, said:“As an influx of new models enter the market and also filter down to the used space, the EV transition across the UK is now firmly underway.
“As a result, many dealers can simply no longer afford to ignore this, and having the infrastructure to support this is going to be vital to shaping forecourts to meet demand over the coming years. This collaboration highlights our long-term commitment to our partners and our continued investment in our market, enabling us to lend throughout the cycle. We’re proud to partner with Pod to be able to provide our dealer partners with excellent products, knowledge and expertise to enable them to manage this shift and ultimately protect their bottom lines.”
Val Geary, VP for partnerships at Pod, said:“Dealers have a huge role to play in helping more drivers go electric, and they need partners who make the switch easier – for themselves and their customers. Working with Close Brothers Motor Finance means we can offer market-leading EV charging at many more customers’ homes and dealer forecourts, paired with CBMF’s finance expertise. It’s a practical step towards making electric living mainstream for drivers across the UK.”