Work starts on EV super charging hub outside Oxford

Work has started on a public electric vehicle (EV) charging hub at Oxford's Redbridge Park & Ride, which will see the installation of fast and ultra-rapid EV chargers for drivers.

The Oxford Superhub, which is being developed by Pivot Power, part of EDF Renewables, and Oxford City Council, as part of Energy Superhub Oxford (ESO), will be located at Redbridge Park & Ride and will see the installation of 38 fast and ultra-rapid chargers – making it the UK’s largest public EV charging hub.

The start of work is a key milestone in the completion of ESO, as Oxford is set to launch the UK’s first Zero Emission Zone in February 2022.

The Oxford Superhub at Redbridge Park & Ride, which is expected to open to the public in spring 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. As demand grows, Fastned will bring the charger total to at least 14.

It will have 16 Gamma Energy chargers with between 7-22kW of power, as well as 12 250kW Tesla Superchargers for Tesla vehicle users.

The Superhub will be powered by 100% renewable energy, partly generated by Fastned’s 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.