Birmingham NEC Launch UKs Largest Charging Hub

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A new electric vehicle charging hub, capable of simultaneously charging 180 cars, has been inaugurated today by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt in Birmingham, UK, on Thursday, 7th September. This development represents a significant advancement for the United Kingdom's electric car charging infrastructure, as it is poised to become the largest electric vehicle charging facility in the country.

Dubbed the "Gigahub," this facility is situated at Birmingham NEC Campus and represents the largest private investment in a UK electric vehicle project to date. The project emerged from a collaborative effort involving the NEC, EV Network, and BP Pulse, who are now overseeing its operation. Funding for this ambitious initiative amounts to a record-breaking £8 million from its investment partner, Zood Infrastructure Limited.

The Gigahub will provide a total of 30 super-fast charging bays with 300kW DC capacity and an additional 150 bays supporting 7kW AC charging. This abundance of super-fast chargers in one location is one of the most extensive in the UK.

Strategically positioned at the heart of the UK's motorway network, including the M42, M46, A45, and the new HS2 interchange station, this site is poised to become a crucial transportation hub of the future.

This development aligns with the UK Government's electric vehicle infrastructure strategy and its commitment to decarbonising the transport sector. The government has allocated over £2 billion to facilitate the transition to zero-emission vehicles, including the accelerated deployment of charging infrastructure.

As part of these efforts, both the government and the industry have jointly supported the installation of more than 45,500 publicly accessible electric vehicle charging devices, including over 8,600 rapid chargers. Public charge point numbers have increased by 38% over the past year, and according to a recent report by the National Infrastructure Commission, if charge point deployment continues to grow at a rate of approximately 30% per year, the expected target of 300,000 charging points will be met.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt commented, "This marks the largest private investment in electric charging infrastructure in the UK and demonstrates our confidence in the UK's leadership in green industries. This groundbreaking facility will serve as a pivotal transportation hub for the future and represents a significant stride in our mission to expand electric vehicle charging infrastructure nationwide."

Decarbonisation Minister Jesse Norman emphasised the crucial role of electric vehicles in achieving decarbonization goals and creating skilled jobs.

Paul Thandi CBE, DL Chairman of NEC Group, expressed pride in contributing to the UK Government's Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy. He highlighted the collaboration with EVN and bp pulse and the Gigahub's role in providing reliable and convenient charging solutions, supporting a lower-carbon future.

Akira Kirton, Vice President of bp pulse UK, stressed their commitment to accelerating the development of the UK's EV infrastructure, investing up to £1 billion to achieve this goal. He also mentioned plans to establish hundreds of hubs in various locations where EV drivers need them.

Reza Shaybani, CEO and co-founder of the EV Network, celebrated the launch of one of Europe's largest ultra-fast Gigahubs, marking a significant step forward for UK electric vehicle fast charging. EVN plans substantial investment in EV infrastructure projects, including £100 million this year and a further £300 million in equity by 2025.

In addition to the Gigahub's opening, UK Research and Innovation has announced that Innovate UK has awarded £5.8 million in funding to 12 projects through the Driving the Electric Revolution Challenge Fund. Winning projects include initiatives related to automation and robotics for EV charger production and the scale-up of manufacturing processes for rare earth-free permanent magnet generators, enabling the production of electric machines without rare earth elements.

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