Tritium reveals: What are CPOs in the UK looking for – and how to deliver it?

The United Kingdom (UK) established different standards in the Public Charge Point Regulations 2023.

One of the provisions states that Charge Point Operators (CPOs) must ensure 99% uptime for rapid chargers of 50 kilowatts (kW) or more, with the aim of guaranteeing near-continuous service availability.

This level of demand requires manufacturers to provide reliable equipment, alongside proactive maintenance and continuous monitoring.

In this regard, Kevin Pugh, Vice President & Head of Sales UK & Europe at Tritium, explains to Mobility Portal that “the most important thing for CPOs is having the right support, as well as reliable technology from the manufacturer.”

Operators prioritise durable chargers, strong service backing, and readily available spare parts.

According to Pugh, “they’re looking for relationships of at least ten years. They want to ensure the manufacturer will be around for the long term, with technical support and parts available the same day or next day, in order to maintain that uptime above 99%.”

“Uptime is the most important thing for customers,” he insists.

It is worth noting that, in order to meet these demands, Tritium began a new strategic phase focused on long-term solutions.

“In 2025, we saw the arrival of a new leadership team with the aim of realigning the structure, strategy, vision, and focus of what Tritium will be going forward,” the executive explains.

On another front, UK regulations also require that charging stations be accessible to people with disabilities.

As such, Tritium has incorporated this perspective into its designs from the outset.

“With Osprey Charging, one of our clients, we worked on accessibility from the beginning, complying with all height and reach regulations for payment terminals,” Pugh details.

In addition, the company introduced a cable management system that makes usage easier.

“Osprey did a great job adapting their sites, and we’ve maintained that philosophy ever since,” he emphasises.

However, it is important to highlight that this regulation also presents manufacturing challenges, due to regulatory differences between the UK, the United States, and the European Union (EU).

“As a manufacturer, we’re looking for common standards so we don’t have to produce fully customised units for each region,” Pugh states.

In line with this, Tritium designs solutions applicable across multiple markets, taking into account factors such as screen placement, card readers, buttons, and cable holders.

“It’s a constant process of improvement: we have to listen to the customer and be agile enough to adapt,” he adds.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning that in an increasingly competitive market, the charging experience has become a decisive factor.

“It’s no longer enough to simply offer a charger. We’ve moved beyond the early EV adopters who were just happy to have infrastructure available to charge,” the executive acknowledges.

The new wave of drivers is seeking speed, simplicity, and reliability.

They want to plug in, authorise via contactless or RFID card, and start charging immediately, without communication errors.

“When it comes to the interface, what matters is that it works, is clear, and provides the necessary information,” Pugh explains.

Tritium has responded with a ten-inch HMI featuring physical buttons, designed to withstand harsh conditions and offer a more intuitive interaction.

This innovation has been well received by both operators and users alike.

Tritium positions itself as a global leader with TRI-FLEX

In mid-year, Tritium introduced its new TRI-FLEX DC fast-charging platform in Europe.

“We are once again positioning ourselves as global leaders in technology. Where we stood in 2018 with the PK350, we are now making a similar leap with TRI-FLEX,” he states.

The company describes TRI-FLEX as the world’s most flexible and scalable distributed DCFC charging platform, capable of scaling from 400 kW up to 1.6 MW and distributing that energy across multiple dispensers.

This flexibility enables deployment in both public charging hubs and large fleet operations.

“This is our most exciting product. It’s the most innovative on the global market due to its distribution capacity, scalability and technology,” Pugh highlights.

The system retains a fully sealed IP65 design with liquid cooling technology and incorporates new second-generation modules that are smaller and lighter, delivering greater power density in a compact size.

This allows TRI-FLEX to scale to more than 3.2 MW from a 1.6 MW grid.

Officially launched in April at EVS38 in Europe, this solution is scheduled for deployment in the UK and across Europe from 2026.

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