BP has recently opened the largest electric car charging station in the UK, with the capacity to support up to 180 vehicles simultaneously.

Situated at the NEC in Birmingham, which is conveniently located near major junctions for the M42 and M6 motorways, the Gigahub boasts 30 300kW DC connections, enabling efficient charging for 30 electric cars at a time. Additionally, the hub features 150 slower 7kW AC charge points.

Motorists can also take advantage of the drive-through Starbucks outlet, where they can purchase refreshments before or after their charging session.

This is the third BP Gigahub to open, following the ones in Park Lane, central London, and Gatwick airport.

Akira Kirton, the Vice President of BP Pulse UK, stated that this new site is one of the “hundreds of hubs” the company intends to launch this decade in areas where electric vehicle (EV) drivers require them, particularly on motorways.

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, who was present at the Gigahub’s unveiling, highlighted that this represents the “biggest private investment in electric charging in the UK” and is a significant step in the country’s roll-out of EV charging infrastructure.

The Gigahub was developed and installed by The EV Network (EVN), an infrastructure specialist. EVN has also signed a “long-term” contract with the NEC Group to expand its charging offering.

Reza Shaybani, CEO and co-founder of EVN, emphasized that the NEC site was strategically chosen due to its geographical significance and its importance within the national transport infrastructure. The hub has a 6.5MVA grid connection to support the entire infrastructure. Shaybani also announced that EVN plans to invest £100 million in projects this year and aims to spend a further £300 million by 2025.