Electric car journeys to and from Wales are set to get easier with the commissioning of a new six-charger Gridserve site at junction 47 on the M4 at Moto Swansea. The latest Gridserve Electric Hub to go live features six 350kW ultra high-powered chargers and is the biggest Gridserve site after Moto Rugby and the brand’s flagship Electric Forecourt in Braintree, Essex.
The chargers are supplied with 100% net zero carbon energy from Gridserve’s own solar farms. All units accept contactless payment and deliver the highest charge speeds on offer in the UK. Cars capable of charging at more than 200kW, can add 100 miles of range in less than 10 minutes. In keeping with other Gridserve ultra-high power chargers, customers will be charged 45p per kWh.
Six 350kW units now live at Moto Swansea services on the M4, bringing high-power charging to Welsh drivers The new site supports the Welsh Government’s plans to slash emissions from transport, a sector responsible for 17% of the country’s overall emissions. The Government’s Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy for Wales commits to delivering 4,000 rapid chargers across the country over the next decade. At present, just just 3% have been installed.
Moto Swansea forms part of the biggest upgrade to motorway EV charging infrastructure in UK history. More than 20 Electric Hubs – each consisting of between six and 12 ultra high-power 350kW chargers are due to open at motorway services across the UK by the end of Q2 2022. According to Gridserve, a number of additional Electric Hub sites being lined up to follow.
Since the brand’s acquisition of Ecotricity’s Electric Highway in June last year, the company invested tens of millions of pounds in upgrading the network. In addition to opening the first Electric Hub at Moto Rugby, the company has replaced more than 300 historical Ecotricity DC rapid chargers and has installed 130 additional AC chargers.
In addition to the extensive upgrades taking place across the UK’s motorway network, Gridserve is also progressing plans to deliver more than 100 Electric Forecourts across the UK, with sites at Gatwick Airport and Norwich already in construction.
Gridserve plans to roll out more than 20 similar sites by summer 2022