The E-Van Guru team usually get excited about the smallest of things. In this case it turns out it’s the largest in the UK and it’s on our doorstep.
BP Pulse, the EV Network, and the NEC have come together to create the largest charging Giga hub of its kind in the UK. The new charging hub located at the NEC in Birmingham which is also close to Birmingham Airport and International Train Station has the ability to charge 180 EVs simultaneously. There is a mix of 300kW ultra-rapid chargers & 7kW fast chargers. If you are lucky enough to own a 300kW DC compatible vehicle you could pop into the onsite Starbucks Coffee to grab the usual, by the time you have received your coffee and returned to your vehicle you could have gained as much as 200 mile range.
With 16x 300kW DC chargers and 150x 7kW chargers it is the most impressive charging site we have come across. The 7kW allows visitors or exhibitors to charge their vehicles over a longer period as they are usually visiting for the day, these chargers must be pre booked online to use.
It’s great to see so many new charging sites either opening up or expanding, many in great locations. We often use the InstaVolt Charging site in Banbury just off the M40, this has in recent months doubled in size from 16 to 32 rapid chargers meaning you are never waiting to get onto a charger, you can also grab a coffee at the local Costa Coffee (there’s a theme here) while you charge.
There is a lot of negativity around EV charging that we hear on a daily basis, but the facts show the charging network is improving all the time and this story supports that. The UK is on track to grow its charging network in readiness for the legislation changes in 2030.