‘Gigahub’ for electric vehicles at NEC Birmingham
What’s said to be the largest public electric vehicle charging hub anywhere in the UK can charge 180 EVs at once and boasts 16 ultra-fast 300 KW DC chargers.
Gigahub is a trademarked brand name for BP’s large electric vehicle (EV) charging hubs. There are already Gigahubs at Park Lane in London, at Gatwick Airport and in Kettering. This month, a new one has opened at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham. Some 7m people visit the NEC each year for all manner of events and exhibitions. It’s also less than mile from junction 6 of the M42 and just over two miles from junction 7A of the M6, with yearly traffic in the area of some 60m.
The GIgahub EV charging site at the NEC, courtesy of NEC Group
The new facilities at the NEC are capable of charging 180 EVs simultaneously, 30 of them using the 16 ultra-fast 3000KW DC chargers – two of which are in designated accessible bays. The remaining 150 charge points are 7KW, and these also include designated accessible bays.
This ambitious site is the result of collaboration between BP Pulse, the EV Network and NEC Group. It’s been designed, developed and constructed by the EV Network as part of a multimillion-pound contract with the NEC Group. The EV Network secured 6.5MVA grid connection to support the new infrastructure.
Indeed, the EV Network is investing £100m this year in EV infrastructure projects, with further £300m of equity to be invested by 2025. The Gigahub at the NEC is just one of several projects the EV Network is working on with BP Pulse, which plans to roll out hundreds of charging hubs in urban areas by 2030. The aim is to make these convenient – located on main roads, motorways and sites such as hotels and retail parks, making charging an easy, even social, experience.
Paul Thandi CBE, DL Chairman of NEC Group, says: ‘Working in collaboration with EV Network and BP Pulse, the opening of our EV charging hub provides NEC Campus customers, commuters, and those working for local regional or national businesses, a reliable and convenient way to recharge and support a lower carbon travel future.
‘This strategic collaboration and initiative strengthen our destination offer, demonstrate our commitment to reducing the impact our business practices and our Masterplan credentials have on the environment, and ultimately supports a reduction in carbon emissions.’
Reza Shaybani, CEO and co-founder of the EV Network, adds: ‘The launch of the UK’s largest Gigahub is a massive game changer for EVN and a huge step forward for UK electric vehicle fast charging.
‘The NEC was a perfect location that is not only geographically key, but of national significance, to support the EV charging landscape.’
In officially opening the site, the RT Hon Jeremy Hunt MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: ‘This is the biggest private investment in electric charging in the UK and is a huge vote of confidence in Britain’s role as a leader in green industries.
‘The ground-breaking site will be a major transport hub for the future and marks a significant step in our rollout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the country.’
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