SSE Energy Solutions has launched its first ultra-rapid electric vehicle (EV) charging hub in Glasgow to support decarbonisation of the UK transportation sector.
This charging hub is part of a major initiative to deliver 300 such hubs across the UK and Ireland within the next five years. This will create a backbone able to support the growing number of EV drivers in the UK.
The new 150kW ultra-rapid charger hub is situated on Glasgow’s Castlebank Street and features six-bays powered by traceable renewable energy allowing drivers to decrease their overall carbon footprint.
“The opening of our first ultra-rapid charging hub represents a major milestone in the journey and we’re working quickly to build a network of easy-to-reach charging points that will serve communities and businesses across the UK and Ireland,” said Kevin Welstead, EV sector director at SSE Energy Solutions.
“The location on Castlebank Street will offer fast charging at a convenient location for local residents and fleets alike. We also hope this encourages those living nearby who can’t accommodate an EV charging point at their home or workplace to make the switch to an EV car or van knowing they have reliable charging facilities nearby.
“Increasing the use of electric cars over petrol and diesel vehicles will play a vital role in creating greener, more sustainable cities. With this in mind, we’re future proofing our EV infrastructure by installing ultra-rapid charging points with up to 150kW of power that can accommodate larger batteries and provide reliable charging for drivers for many years to come as EV technology continues to evolve.”
SSE Energy Solutions aims to build a network of EV charging stations across the UK and Ireland as part of plans to meet increasing demands for EV infrastructure ahead of the 2030 ban on the sale of new internal combustion engines.
Although the number of EV drivers have been surging in the past few years, the RAC revealed that the cost of charging an EV at public chargers has increased by 42% from 18.75p/kWh in May to an average of 63.29p/kWh. There is concern this increase could hamper the uptake of EVs in coming years.
Current±’s publisher Solar Media is running the EV World Congress on 5 and 6 October at the Leonardo Royal Hotel Tower Bridge. To find out more and get your ticket, see here.