The Electric Highway, the world’s first nationwide charging network, has opened the UK’s largest high power motorway charging site. The flagship motorway installation is now open at Moto’s brand-new Rugby services at Junction 1 of the M6.
The new facility includes 12 high-powered chargers from Tritium. They are able to charge any electric vehicle (EV) at 350kW and can add up to 217 miles (350km) of range to an electric car in 10 minutes or less. All of these chargers are contactless making for an easy life.
The installation is the first under the Electric Highway’s new partnership with Gridserve. This saw the company take a 25 percent stake in the Highway, as well as bringing its technology and expertise to the network.
This development promises to become ubiquitous as it transforms its network of facilities on the country’s motorways and major roads. The Rugby location is a great example of what the future of electric vehicle charging on the UK motorway network will look like.
Kevin Pugh, Tritium’s UK manager, said: “With an increasing demand for high power public charging infrastructure, Tritium is proud to be working in collaboration with Gridserve and Ecotricity to deliver the largest electric vehicle charging facility on Britain’s motorway services.
“As part of the major Electric Highway transformation programme, funded by Gridserve investor Hitachi Capital (UK) PLC, all existing 50kW pumps will be replaced this summer while in parallel, work has begun on high power installations across its entire network.
Toddington Harper, CEO of Gridserve, said: “Gridserve’s purpose is to deliver sustainable energy and move the needle on climate change. The rollout of high power chargers across Britain’s motorways in partnership with Moto will do just that providing drivers with the confidence to go electric today.
“We’ve been hard at work putting in the charging infrastructure needed to give people the confidence to make the transition to electric vehicles, by delivering 6-12 high power 350kW chargers across the network as quickly as possible, as well as replacing all the existing chargers with the latest technology.”
Dale Vince, Founder, The Electric Highway, added: “This is our first high power installation and this new technology comes just at a tipping point in the adoption of electric vehicles.
“This marks the beginning of our new partnership with Gridserve, and kickstarts a comprehensive programme where these installations will become ubiquitous on the motorway network, helping to make the experience of using an electric car no different to using a fossil-powered one.”
