Work starts on UK’s largest public EV charging hub at Redbridge Park & Ride

Work has started this week on the UK’s largest public electric vehicle (EV) charging hub at Redbridge Park & Ride, which will see the installation of 38 fast and ultra-rapid EV chargers.

The Oxford Superhub, which is being developed by Pivot Power, part of EDF Renewables, and Oxford City Council. The start of work is a key milestone in the completion of the project, as Oxford is set to launch the UK’s first Zero Emission Zone in February 2022.

It will see the installation of:

  • 10 Fastned chargers with up to 300kW of power, capable of adding up to 300 miles of range in just 20 minutes for hundreds of EV drivers per day. As demand grows, Fastned will bring the charger total to at least 14
  • 16 Gamma Energy chargers with between 7-22kW of power
  • 12 250kW Tesla Superchargers will be available for Tesla vehicle users.

The Superhub will be powered by 100% renewable energy, partly generated by Fastned’s trademark solar roof, and all makes and models of EVs will be able to charge at the highest rates possible simultaneously.

Chargers will be open 24/7, offering charging for a wide range of electric vehicle types. Payment can be via a simple contactless method, as well as app based payments.

An on-site café is being planned, so that drivers can buy drinks and snacks, ensuring the charging process is as convenient as possible.

Pivot Power’s EV charging network will provide 10MW of power on site – enough to meet the growing need for EV charging in the area for the next 30 years.

Unlike any other UK charging hub, the Oxford Superhub will be directly connected to National Grid’s high voltage transmission network, providing the power needed to charge large numbers of EVs quickly, without putting strain on the local electricity network.

It will share this connection with a 50MW hybrid battery – the largest ever deployed – which will combine lithium-ion and vanadium flow technology to enable more renewable power onto the grid.

The network also has capacity to expand to key locations throughout Oxford to meet mass EV charging needs, from buses and taxis to commercial fleets.

The Oxford Superhub is one of up to 40 similar sites planned by Pivot Power across the UK to help deliver charging infrastructure for the estimated 36 million EVs by 2040.

Councillor Tom Hayes, Deputy Leader of Oxford City Council and Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford, Oxford City Council, said: “This is an exciting next step in the Energy Superhub Oxford project, and I am delighted that work has now started at Redbridge Park & Ride to install the UK’s largest public electric vehicle hub.

“Providing electric vehicle charging infrastructure is crucial to help us achieve a Zero Carbon Oxford by 2040 and to support the uptake of electric vehicles.”

Tim Rose, programme manager for Energy Superhub Oxford at Pivot Power, said: “Energy Superhub Oxford is creating the power infrastructure needed to supercharge electric vehicle uptake across Oxford and meet the demand for fast, easy and reliable charging for decades to come.

“Pivot Power is proud to be delivering this visionary project in partnership with Oxford City Council, to accelerate net zero and create a blueprint for cleaner, greener cities across the UK and beyond.”

Image: courtesy energysuperhuboxford.org

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