- A new superhubs site in the UK can charge 44 EVs at once
- Solar panels and massive battery packs help reduce the load on the grid
- Superhubs catch all over the globe
Data released this week shows that EV sales are increasing for the second consecutive month in Europe as the market continues to grow in the United States. But when more customers choose to go electrically, the demand naturally increases in the public charging network – and this is where increasingly popular superhubs are coming in.
An increasing number of fast charging providers (with the help of local authorities) develop these custom-built ‘superhubs’, which not only aim to plug into as many battery-powered vehicles as possible, but also utilize the power of solar and battery storage to reduce the load on the web and reduce the cost of charging.
Such a place has just been opened by Instavolt near Winchester in the UK. There are specially designed bays for electric heavy goods vehicles as well as smaller vehicles that pull trailers plus dedicated available charging sites for those with disabilities and extra long spaces for electric vans.
The site may host 44 electric vehicles, all of which can fill up quickly thanks to 160 kW DC fast chargers. In peak times, instavolt 85p charges. Kilowatt (about $ 1.10), but it also offers an off-peak duty of 54p per Kilowatt (about $ 0.70).
Convenient size Charging Balls aside, the site also benefits from a massive 870-panel-solarray, paired with an equally Gargantuan 960 kW/4MWh battery storage system, reducing the dependence of the grid in peak times.
Contrary to the current charging destinations in a typical European service station, Instavolt’s new superhub is located right on the main road, where there is more space, and perhaps even more important, land is a little cheaper.
This has made it possible for the company to add things like 24/7 toilets, a Starbucks, a children’s plan area and a place to walk the dog. Customers also benefit from air and water regulations to keep these road trips rolling.
Analysis: Superhubs go globally
Earlier this month, the largest EV GLACKING NEW in South Korea opened with the charging network operator who revealed a mammoth 46-strong hub at the Korea International Exhibition Center (Kintex) in Goyang.
Catering to everything from small city cars to the largest electric trucks offers the site both 200 kW and 100 kW charging facilities, while the choice of a wooden structure reduced the total carbon footprint compared to concrete or steel structures, according to Electrek.
Although not quite on the same scale as those found in Korea or in the UK, a number of smooth charging nodes also begin to appear in the US, with companies like Mercedes-Benz showing what its branded locations look like with the opening of its Swanky venue at its US HQ in Sandy Springs, Georgia last year.
Tesla also opened its largest Supercharger site back in 2023, with a staggering 98 charging stalls operational in Coolinga, California, which benefits from sunbaldaxes and Tesla’s own megapack battery storage system to ease the addiction of the grid.
The company also revealed that it plans to open a mammoth 30 goals Large space in Lost Hills, California, as it says, will host 168 charging stalls, making it by far the largest EV entry site operating in the US.
According to not a Tesla app, the proposed place in Lost Hills, which has been nicknamed ‘Oasis’, could be able to charge 4,896 vehicles for a 12-hour period.
That said, China takes the top honor with a staggering 637-stall charging hub located in Shenzhen, delivering about 160 megawatts (MWh) of power daily and charging more than 4,000 taxis in a given 24-hour period.
But scale is not the only thing that electric vehicle owners are looking for because the convenience factor is lost if you are going to drive to a custom -built hub that may be well away from a selected route.
Instead, websites like Instavolt’s Superhub aim to serve those who use the busiest and most commonly used travel corridors, and negate the need to fight for the limited number of charging stalls set for service areas or gas stations.