UK-based Pivot Power, part of EDF Renewables, has announced the construction of Europe’s most powerful EV charging Energy Superhub in Oxford (ESO).
The hub will initially feature 38 fast and ultra-rapid chargers in a single site and will be the most powerful in Europe – with up to 10MW of power on site – and will scale up to help meet the need for EV charging in the area for the next 30 years.
It is the first of up to 40 similar sites planned across the UK to help deliver the charging infrastructure needed for the estimated 36 million EVs by 2040.
The Redbridge Park & Ride will be directly connected to the high voltage national electricity grid, to provide the power needed to charge hundreds of EVs at the same time quickly, without putting strain on the local electricity network or requiring costly upgrades.
The innovative network, developed by Pivot Power, has capacity to expand to key locations throughout Oxford to meet mass EV charging needs, from buses and taxis to commercial fleets.
Pivot Power has partnered up with Fastned, the European electric vehicle fast charging company to also install ten chargers at the Superhub with 300kW of power, capable of adding 300 miles of range in just 20 minutes for as much as hundreds of EVs per day.
The Energy Superhub will also include 12 Tesla V3 Superchargers, capable of charging speeds up to 250kW, and 16 Wenea 7-22kW chargers.
The £41 million world-first project will integrate EV charging, battery storage, low carbon heating and smart energy management technologies to support Oxford’s aim to be zero carbon by 2040 or earlier.
It is estimated that the Superhub will save 10,000 tonnes of CO2 every year once opened later in 2021, equivalent to taking over 2,000 cars off the road, increasing to 25,000 tonnes by 2032. It will provide a model for cities around the UK and the world to cut carbon and improve air quality, according to Matt Allen, CEO at Pivot Power.
“Our goal is to help the UK accelerate net zero by delivering power where it is needed to support the EV and renewable energy revolution,” he said. “[It] is a blueprint we want to replicate right across the country, working hand in hand with local communities to create cleaner, more sustainable cities where people want to live and work.”
Government plans to cut carbon emissions and improve air quality will see millions of EVs in use by 2030, and the project will show how this can be achieved while maintaining a stable and cost-effective electricity network, according to Rob Saunders, Challenge Director, Prospering from the Energy Revolution.
“Forward-thinking innovation in the energy space is key not only to change current energy use, but to plan for societies and industries that prosper in the future,” he said. “The Energy Superhub is also a great demonstration of what can be achieved with a commitment to collaboration and bringing together different areas of expertise to tackle key issues for our energy future.”
At the ESO location, Fastned is creating one of the largest charging stations in the company’s pan-European network, where up to 14 EVs can charge simultaneously. The company currently has over 135 charging stations across the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and the UK, and recently raised €150 million to accelerate the growth of its network.
Fastned has the goal to build a network of 1,000 fast charging stations across Europe by 2025. ESO marks an important step in Fastned’s continued expansion into the UK.