Updated: 01:51 AEDT, 9 October 2024
81
View
comments
There have been 200 150kW+ ultra-rapid EV chargers installed at motorway services in England since the beginning of the year, new research shows.
As a result, almost half of motorway services in England now have six or more ultra-rapid chargers, Zapmap and the RAC have found.
These 150kW chargers can give 100 miles of range in 15 minutes and are positioned at motorway services to deliver fast battery top ups on long journeys.
200 additional 150kW+ ultra-rapid EV chargers have been installed at motorway services in England since the beginning of the year, new research from Zapmap and the RAC shows
The number of 150kW chargers increased 51 per cent in the last eight months – as installation numbers gather speed.
This means almost half (48 per cent or 55 sites) of the 114 motorway services in England now have six or more 150kW+ chargers, and many sites have faster speeds of up to 350kW.
Six motorway locations are fitted with more than 12 150kW+ chargers, while only four don't have high-powered chargers over 50kW.
The UK's estimated 1.17m EV drivers can now charge up in a matter of minutes using 595 of these chargers.
Ultra-rapid chargers have grown at a particularly high rate, with more than 2,300 installed this year. There are 60% more ultra-rapid chargers at the end of September 2024 than there were in December 2023
Each motorway services has an average of seven 50kW+ chargers, meaning there is a total of 818 at 114 sites.
Looking only at ultra-rapid chargers, there's an average of five at every services in England (595 at 114 sites).
Only four service stations do not have any charging provision over 50kW at present.
Two of these, Leicester Forest East M1 north and southbound, are run by Welcome Break which told the RAC and Zapmap there are difficulties bringing sufficient power to the sites.
The company is working to resolve this with National Grid Electricity Distribution, National Highways and the local authorities and hopes to install ultra-rapid chargers next year.
The other two other locations with no rapid charge points – Sedgemoor M5 northbound and Telford M54 – are still awaiting high-powered connections to the electricity grid.
Gridserve, the charge point operator that runs the nationwide Electric Highway network at motorway services, confirmed it is hoping to start installing chargers at Sedgemoor in 2025.
The Audi Q6 e-Tron, the Hyundai Ioniq 5, and the Tesla Model 3 all charge above 250kW.
The new Porsche Taycan and the Audi e-Tron GT can both charge up to 320kW, but the only EV to currently be able to charge at 350kW is the Lotus Eletre.
The Eletre can charge from 10 to 80 per cent in 20 minutes, and has a range of 373 miles.
Some links in this article may be affiliate links. If you click on them we may earn a small commission. That helps us fund This Is Money, and keep it free to use. We do not write articles to promote products. We do not allow any commercial relationship to affect our editorial independence.
Published by Associated Newspapers Ltd
Part of the Daily Mail, The Mail on Sunday & Metro Media Group