InstaVolt has started work building what will become one of the UK’s largest ultra-rapid public EV charging hubs – based just off the M40 at Banbury.
Eight CPE250 twin-connector ultra-rapid units will be put in at the site, with power ratings currently unconfirmed. However, the units can be upgraded up to 350 kW, so are future-proofed no matter the starting specification.
Each charge point features a CCS and CHAdeMO connector for DC charging, and all InstaVolt points feature contactless bank card payment and access, with no registration or subscriptions required. The charging hub is due to be switched on in late summer.
The hub will be located just off Junction 11, with a number of facilities nearby including coffee shops and restaurants. It will sit at a key site along the M40, with a number of key routes stretching away from Banbury in other directions too.
Adrian Keen, CEO of InstaVolt, said: “Strategically Banbury Hub is very important to us as it sits just off one of the country’s busiest motorways, serving the capital in one direction and the UK’s second city Birmingham, in the other.
“With eight chargers it means drivers will be able to rely on a recharge when they need it most and they will also have the benefit of enjoying the facilities on site while they charge.”
“A lack of charging infrastructure on the country’s motorways is often cited as a concern for current and prospective EV drivers. We are solving that problem by deploying chargers where drivers need them most by developing sites up and down the road network just a few hundred metres from motorway junctions.”
Victoria Prentice, MP for North Oxfordshire, said: “It is brilliant news that one of the UK’s largest rapid charging hubs is going to be built in Banbury.
“Climate change is one of the most important challenges we face today. We have some ambitious targets to reach by 2050. Improving access to charging points so more people can consider an electric vehicle to reduce emissions on our roads is a step in the right direction. I am so pleased to see North Oxfordshire leading the way as we become more eco-friendly.”
InstaVolt is one of Zap-Map’s dynamic data partners, allowing users to view live status information on the network’s points. See whether a charge point is in use, available, or out of order on Zap-Map desktop and app. Of course it also means that the charging hub will appear on Zap-Map as soon as it goes live. Click the link below to view the map.
