Super car-charging energy hub opens in Oxfordshire

An energy "superhub" believed to be the largest in Europe and with the capacity to charge hundreds of electric cars opens on Tuesday.

Pivot Power said the £41m energy hub at an Oxford park and ride has 42 EV charging points and can recharge a car in as little as 20 minutes.

The company said it plans to build 40 more superhubs around the country over the next decade.

It said it wanted to help Oxford reach its net zero target by 2040.

Pivot Power programme manager Tim Rose said the hub's aim was to integrate transport, power and heating needs.

Mr Rose said delivering EV infrastructure was critical to meeting the government's transport strategy.

He said: "This is how we get 36m electric cars on the roads, by building large EV charging hubs."

The company has also built a connection point to Oxford's bus company so it can charge its buses as it electrifies over the coming years, Mr Rose added.

"We believe pretty firmly there are going to be 30m-plus EV cars on the roads, so for at least the next decade we see the electric vehicle as being the route to decarbonisation," he said.

A massive hybrid battery will store energy and export power into the national grid when demand is high.

"It will help with those peaks and troughs and stabilise the grid," Mr Rose said.

The energy hub is also providing electricity to homes, he added.

"We've installed 60 ground source heat pumps to provide renewable power; those houses are reporting a 50% saving in bills and improved comfort levels," he claimed.

The charging hub at the Redbridge Park and Ride is to be officially opened by transport minister Trudy Harrison.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].