Rising retail star Pure Electric unveils European expansion plans

Pure Electric, which has 16 stores in the UK, aims to open at least 10 branches in the two European countries as demand soars in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The retailer, which also sells e-scooters, has signed for premises in Madrid and Paris. A store in the French capital is expected to open on the Boulevard de Sebastopol in January.

Pure Electric was founded by entrepreneur Adam Norris in 2018 when he took over 11 former Cycle Republic stores from Halfords and rebranded them.

Although e-scooters are currently only allowed on UK roads when hired through government-approved trials, there are estimated to be between 150,000 and 200,000 electric scooter owners. Sales rose 100,000 this year during the pandemic. They are already legal in many countries including France and Spain.

Pure Electric chief executive Peter Kimberley said: “The business is going from strength to strength and we now feel it’s time to accelerate our plans by taking up stores in Europe.

“The coronavirus pandemic has made people think again about how they travel and many are turning to e-scooters and e-bikes to get around. We believe this trend will only increase given the pressure to reduce congestion in our major towns and cities and to clean up the air that we breathe by bringing down emissions.”