Finland's largest home electronics retailer, Gigantti, has partnered with Virta to install electric vehicle (EV) charging points at its store locations across the country. The first three charging points will be installed this autumn, with more to come in 2023.
Gigantti’s first EV charging points will be available for use in the Vantaa Tammisto, Espoo Lommila, and Raisio stores by the end of this year. The installation of the charging points was accelerated by the Energy Authority’s tender support decisions for high-power charging points, which were announced on August 10. The charging devices are manufactured domestically in Finland by Kempower.
“Virta is pleased to supply Gigantti with a comprehensive charging solution with the ‘Powered by Virta’ concept. The charging devices will be branded in familiar Gigantti colors, but for the user, the devices will work with the same Virta IDs as tens of thousands of other charging points in Europe. The charging operation thus becomes part of the open system, enabling easy charging at other locations as well. It's great to see that Gigantti's customer-oriented offering is combined with the high-level technology they are familiar with. As a solution, this can be seen in the form of efficient chargers and enables a substantial increase in driving distance during a store visit,” says Aleksi Patana, Country Manager of Virta's charging network.
Gigantti has sold electric car chargers since 2016, with the majority of sales coming from home deliveries in Helsinki and Pirkanmaa. As electric car sales are constantly increasing in Finland, Gigantti’s goal for the new charging network is to improve its customer service in terms of electric mobility.
“It’s important for us to develop our customer experience along with the changing world in a long-term and sustainable way. We’re happy to offer our customers electric car charging points all over Finland, with competent and reliable domestic operators—our partner Virta and equipment manufacturer Kempower. We will build a total of six charging points in the first wave, the latter of which we will inform about later in the fall. The Energy Authority’s support decision was also a positive signal for joint further development,” says Gigantti’s operations manager, Janne Henriksson.
Based on its 2022 support auction, the Energy Authority distributed a total of five million euros to 113 operators and 420 high-power charging points for electric cars. Gigantti currently has 21 stores under Gigantti Oy and 20 shop-run stores nationwide. Gigantti is set to open two new stores this fall in Helsinki’s REDI shopping center and in Klaukkala.
About Virta
Virta is a global leader of EV charging platform technologies. We offer the world’s fastest and most cost-effective channel to launch, scale, and operate commercial services in this EV charging ecosystem—as a primary business or as a value-added service. Our award-winning digital platform connects all of the key players in the electric vehicle ecosystem and provides services for the entire value chain.
Founded in 2013, Virta operates in over 30 countries and helps over 500 partners to offer EV charging services to EV drivers in total over 54 000 Charging points, and through roaming in close to 200 000 charging points (April 2022).
Virta has over 19 patent families, including trailblazing bi-directional charging technologies, and is the forerunner also in technological development measured by patents relative to investments in the company. Since January 2022, Virta has also operated in Asia-Pacific markets from its Singapore office.
www.virta.global
About Gigantti
Founded in 1999, Gigantti is Finland's largest home electronics retailer. Gigantti employs over 1,500 people across more than 40 brick-and-mortar stores, the online store, customer service and distribution centers, and company sales points all over Finland.
Aiming to be the most responsible operator in its field, Gigantti pays attention to ethics, social and environmental responsibility, and sustainable development in its operations. The company’s goal is to help its customers make energy-efficient choices when choosing, using, and returning its products.
Gigantti is part of the Elkjøp group operating in Norway, which is owned by the English home electronics chain, Currys plc. In addition to Gigantti, the Elkjøp group includes Elgiganten in Sweden, Elkjøp in Norway, and Elgiganten in Denmark.
www.gigantti.fi
Contacts and enquiries:
Janne Henriksson, Head of Operations at Gigantti Oy
janne.henriksson@gigantti.fi
Tel. +358 40 8260 007
Aleksi Patana, Country Manager, Charging Network, Finland at Virta
aleksi.patana@virta.global,
Tel. +358 50 405 1662
