Pivot Power, Oxford City Council, Fastned, Tesla Superchargers and Wenea have this week officially opened the Energy Superhub Oxford, Europe’s most powerful electric vehicle (EV) charging hub.
The project is part of a nationwide network of Energy Superhubs developed by Pivot Power, which combine transmission-connected batteries and power infrastructure for EV charging to enable more renewables and accelerate the decarbonisation of transport.
The charging hub will initially offer fast and ultra-rapid charging for 42 vehicles at once at Oxford’s Redbridge Park and Ride, powered entirely by renewable energy. The hub is also able to scale up with EV adoption to provide charging for 400 vehicles, helping to support the estimated 36 million EVs expected on UK roads by 2040.
To begin with, European EV rapid charging company Fastned has installed ten charging bays at the Superhub with 300 kW of power available, capable of adding 300 miles of range in just 20 minutes for hundreds of EVs per day. Wenea, one of the largest EV charging services providers in Europe, has also deployed twenty 7-22 kW charging bays. A further twelve 250 kW Tesla Superchargers will be available for Tesla owners.
Unlike any other UK charging hub, the site is directly connected to National Grid’s high voltage transmission network via a four-mile underground cable, which will deliver 10 MW of power to quickly and simultaneously charge hundreds of EVs without putting additional strain on the local electricity network or requiring costly upgrades.
“The launch of Fastned’s station at Energy Superhub Oxford, our 12th station in the UK, today marks another important milestone in our mission to revolutionise the charging experience for British EV drivers, by giving them electric freedom,” said Michiel Langezaal, CEO of Fastned.
“Since we opened the UK’s first public ultra-rapid charging station in Sunderland in 2019, Fastned has been committed to using our experience from across Europe to accelerate the EV revolution in the UK. Just a month ago, drivers started using our first station in London, and in May we opened the largest ultra-rapid station in Scotland in Hamilton.”
Pivot Power plans to deploy up to 40 Energy Superhubs across the UK.
Pivot Power’s innovative network can be expanded to key locations throughout Oxford to decarbonise public and private transport, taxis and commercial fleets, supporting Oxford’s net zero 2040 target, as well as providing infrastructure for the pilot Zero Emission Zone – a first-of-its-kind scheme that applies fees to any non-electric vehicle entering the central zone. A substation has already been installed at Oxford Bus Company’s Watlington Road depot, ready to support the company’s plans to introduce over 100 electric buses in the coming two years.
As part of the project, Energy Superhub Oxford has also supported the decarbonisation of Oxford City Council’s fleet of maintenance vehicles, managed by ODS. In total, Energy Superhub Oxford has contributed almost £900,000 towards the procurement of 40 EVs, including cars, vans, road sweepers, tipper trucks and the city’s first all-electric bin lorry.
Energy Superhub Oxford aims to provide a blueprint for cities around the world to simultaneously scale up green transport, power and heating, pushing new frontiers in the race to keep global warming below 1.5°C.
The £41 million urban decarbonisation project delivered by Pivot Power, together with a consortium of global partners and part-funded by the UK government, will unlock significant emissions reductions across power, heat and transport as part of the programme to decarbonise Oxford by 2040 – saving 10,000 tonnes of CO2 every year, equivalent to taking over 2,000 cars off the road, increasing to 25,000 tonnes by 2032.
The site is directly connected to National Grid’s high voltage transmission network.
“Urban decarbonisation is ground zero for the immediate emissions reductions needed to tackle the climate crisis. Energy Superhub Oxford provides a vision of the future, today. By delivering a world-leading project that cuts emissions across transport, power and heat, we are breaking new ground to help the UK reach net zero sooner,” said Matt Allen, CEO and Co-Founder of Pivot Power.
Pivot Power plans to deploy up to 40 Energy Superhubs across the UK, with the next two projects already underway in Coventry and Sandwell, to the northwest of Birmingham. Once complete, the network could provide almost 10% of the energy storage that the UK is predicted to require by 2035.
The Oxford flagship Superhub city hopes to lead by example, showing how ambitious local councils can accelerate their net zero plans. The city recently set out its plans to reach net zero by 2040 and reduce emissions by 40% by 2030.
