Driver services firm Park Garage Group (PGG) and chargepoint operator (CPO) Helix Renewables have installed the UK’s first hyper electric vehicle (EV) chargers in Blackpool.
The PGG site has been fitted with three 480kW EV chargers, the most powerful chargers available in the UK and the first time chargers of this power have been installed. These units are capable of fully charging an EV in as little as 17 minutes.
The chargepoints have been installed with user experience in mind: each charger is wheelchair accessible and located under a lit canopy for night-time safety.
Sunil Tandon, managing director of Park Garage Group (PGG), remarked: “Helix Renewables is one of our trusted partners and our collaboration marks a pivotal moment for PGG. This project is more than just an upgrade to our services, it’s a bold step towards the future and underscores our commitment to substantiality and innovation. We are committed to providing the best for our customers and working with Helix Renewables has been a truly collaborative effort and together, we’re setting new standards for what’s possible in EV infrastructure across the UK.”
Phil Nelson, operations director at Helix Renewables, expressed his excitement, adding, “We are incredibly proud to bring this game-changing technology to the UK. This project is a testament to our commitment to supporting the future of sustainable energy. By partnering with PGG, we’re not just installing chargers; we’re building a targeted, comprehensive, hyper-charging infrastructure that will drive the adoption of EV chargers across the UK.”
UK needs more rapid chargepoints
As explored in a recent Current± blog, the UK has a relatively small percentage of rapid and ultra-rapid EV chargepoints. Data from EV charger mapping firm Zapmap revealed that of the UK’s over 66,000 total charging devices, 13,094 are rapid or ultra-rapid, making up just 19.6% of total charging infrastructure.
In fact, Blackpool is frequently ranked as one of the worst locations in the UK to be an EV driver. According to government data, with just 31.8 EV chargers per 100,000 people, Blackpool sits within the bottom 20% of UK regions for chargepoint availability. Of the area’s 45 chargepoints, just 3 are over 50kW.