SSE to install ultra-rapid chargers with M7 Real Estate

SSE Energy Solutions has begun work to install ultra-rapid electric vehicle charging hubs as part of a joint project with M7 Real Estate.

Energy infrastructure experts, SSE Energy Solutions, will build sites with between 8 and 12 charging bays. Most of the bays will have charging capabilities of up to 150 kilowatts which will allow drivers to resume their journey within 20 to 40 minutes of plugging in.

Engineering work is underway at two sites – the Gapton Hall Retail Park in Great Yarmouth and the Euro Retail Park in Ipswich – with work on four more sites expected to begin in the coming weeks.

It’s anticipated that by 2030 there will be up to ten million electric vehicles on UK roads, but recent research by consumer organisation Which? found that nearly three quarters of EV owners are not satisfied with the UK’s public charging system.

The new hubs will represent the first round of charging stations installed on sites managed by M7 Real Estate (M7), the pan-European investor and asset manager specialising in multi-tenanted properties, as part of a two year programme.

Six sites are to be constructed in the initial phase of the project roll-out with hubs also being installed on locations in Hayes, Chelmsford, Colchester, Poole.

In response to concerns that sales of EVs was outpacing growth projections, the Government launched their ‘Electric Vehicle Smart Charging Action Plan’ in January. Developed with Ofgem, it sets out a roadmap for unlocking the enormous potential of smart charging in tackling climate change. SSE has already started the roll out of 300 of its own ultra-rapid EV charging bays powered by traceable, renewable energy by 2027.

Kevin Welstead, EV sector director at SSE Energy Solutions, said: “With EV sales growing exponentially they are going to take up a significant proportion of our country’s total electricity demand over the coming years and we need to respond.

“Drivers must have easy access to reliable and fast charging facilities. Citing charging hubs in retail locations so drivers can charge while doing the weekly shop is an ideal solution, hence our desire to partner with companies like M7.

At SSE we are forging ahead with a whole systems strategy which we believe will best serve both the private EV driver and fleet owners.”

Josh Tyler, Asset Manager at M7, said: “The instalment of EV charging hubs across a number of our sites is a critical part of our strategy to improve the sustainability of these assets and the overall customer experience.

“Partnering with SSE was an easy decision due to our shared commitment to sustainability and their proven track record in providing energy infrastructure. We look forward to working towards our shared goal of delivering sustainable energy solutions to customers across the country as demand for EV charging grows.”