Ionity has opened one of its largest ultra-rapid charging hubs to date as it looks to accelerate its roll-out of charging locations. The site, which is based at the DoubleTree by Hilton hotel by junction 1a of the M25, features 24 350kW chargers and is the first of six DoubleTree locations set to be equipped with high-power charging stations across the UK. 

In total, the collaboration will see 104 public rapid chargers installed at six DoubleTree hotels, all available 24/7. Upcoming locations include: Newbury North (M4/A34 junction), Coventry (M6 Junction 2 / M69 Junction), Bristol North (M4 / M5 Junction), Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow Strathclyde (M8 Junction 7). In some locations, such as Chieveley services where Gridserve already offers 15 rapid chargers, drivers will have even more choice of where to plug in. As with other Ionity sites, the chargers are powered by 100% renewable energy, sourced from wind, solar, or hydroelectric power.

​The site is one of the latest superhubs to go live in the UK and will come as welcome news to British EV drivers. Gridserve now has two sites (Exeter and Rugby) with 36 high-power charging bays, while its Wetherby and Stevenage sites have 24 high power chargers in operation.

This isn’t the first time Ionity has teamed up with a hotel chain. In 2024, the company struck a deal with Village Hotel Club to install 380 ultra-rapid chargers across 33 locations.

Although Ionity has been one of smaller players in the UK charging network until now, a raft of new and expanded hubs are set to give the brand a much bigger presence over the coming years. Part-owned by BMW, Ford, Hyundai, Mercedes and Volkswagen, the German brand has deep pockets and has already signed deals with a number of UK land-owners. 

Last year, Ionity bucked the industry trend by introducing lower prices for its chargers. The move, which benefited drivers across 12 European countries, is expected to put pressure on other operators to lower prices and reduce running costs for drivers who are unable to charge at home. 

To take advantage of the lower tariffs, drivers need to sign up to two new subscription plans – Ionity Passport Motion and Ionity Passport Power. Ionity Passport Motion is tailored for lower-mileage drivers, covering around 80 to 105 miles per month. It comes with a £5.49 monthly fee, though the first month is discounted to £3.88. Subscribers benefit from a reduced charging rate of 53p per kWh compared to standard pay-as-you-go pricing. For higher-mileage users driving over 155 miles per month, Ionity Passport Power offers a lower rate of 43p per kWh. The first month costs £7, before increasing to £10.50 per month thereafter.