Oxford’s electric vehicle superhub at Redbridge Park & Ride has supplied almost 10 million electric vehicles miles since it opened two years ago.
Oxford has an ambitious goal of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2040 - ten years ahead of the legal deadline set by the Government.
The “transformational” £41m Energy Superhub Oxford project, which launched in July 2022, is a collaboration between Oxford City Council, EDF Renewables UK, Habitat Energy, Invinity Energy Systems, Kensa, and Oxford University.
The project saw the launch of Europe’s most powerful electric vehicle charging hub at Redbridge Park & Ride, where charge point operators Fastned, Tesla and Wenea provide fast and ultra-rapid charging for 42 vehicles at once. With 10 MW of installed capacity on site, the site also has the potential to provide charging for up to 400 vehicles in the future - helping to support the estimated 36 million EVs expected on UK roads by 2040.
Since launching in July 2022, the Redbridge superhub has provided:
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Charged 89,194 vehicles - roughly 122 vehicles a day
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Provided 2,785,069 kWh of electricity to vehicles
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Charged 9,747,744 electric vehicle miles
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Saved 2339 tonnes of carbon
Unlike any other UK charging hub, the site is directly connected to National Grid’s high voltage transmission network via a four-mile underground cable, which delivers 10 MW of power to quickly and simultaneously charge hundreds of EVs without putting additional strain on the local electricity network or requiring costly upgrades.
The project also saw the creation of the world’s largest hybrid energy battery storage system, as well as the installation of over 60 ground source heat pumps for social housing properties in Oxford, helping to improve the heating of their homes and reduce energy bills.
This project is part of EDF Renewables UK's nationwide rollout of Energy Superhubs. The company plans to deploy Energy Superhubs across the UK, with the next two battery storage projects now operational in Coventry and Sandwell. Once complete, the network could provide almost 10% of the energy storage that the UK is predicted to require by 2035.
Last month, Redbridge Park & Ride was one of the final checkpoints for this year's EV Rally. The event saw 56 EV drivers stopped off at the hub to charge up at one of Fastned’s chargers, stretch their legs and grab a slice of pizza as part of their four day tour around the country. These drivers showed that it's possible to travel the length and breadth of the UK in an electric vehicle.
See more information about the Energy Superhub project.
Comment
Councillor Anna Railton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford said: “It's fantastic that the Energy Superhub Oxford and GULO projects kicked off electric vehicle charging in Oxford for drivers. Over the next 3 years, as part of a County-wide partnership, we are planning to deploy up to an additional 300 EV chargers across the city.”
Marianne Costigan, Head of Private Wire at EDF Renewables UK, said "It’s great to see the impact that Energy Superhub Oxford has had. The project perfectly demonstrates that if you put the right infrastructure in place, individuals and organisations can – and do – make greener choices. We look forward to continuing to work with our partners across Oxford to drive decarbonisation in the region.”
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