The first of 50 ultra-rapid EV charging hubs planned across the UK is being officially opened today by former cabinet minister and local MP, Sir Brandon Lewis.

L-R: Kevin Welstead, EV sector director at SSE Energy Solution, Sir Brandon Lewis, MP for Great Yarmouth, and Josh Tyler, asset manager at M7 Real Estate

Built by SSE Energy Solutions in conjunction with M7 Real Estate, the 10-bay hub at Gapton Hall retail park in Great Yarmouth features 150kW charge units as well as a 22kW charger, giving users a choice of how to charge when visiting the site.

Further sites will follow, located on sites managed by M7. These include 20 sites for Oxford Properties following the announcement of a two-year programme of EV infrastructure investment with SSE.

A further five hubs will be constructed in the initial phase of the project at locations in Ipswich, Poole, Hayes, Colchester and Chelmsford.

Sir Brandon Lewis, MP for Great Yarmouth, said: “The demand for electric vehicles is growing exponentially and we must keep up with demand in our drive towards net zero. I’m delighted to see SSE Energy Solutions and M7 Real Estate investing in this infrastructure.

“Norfolk County Council is successfully promoting EV use as part of its Travel Norfolk initiative and Electric Vehicle Strategy but people in Great Yarmouth haven’t had access to an ultra-rapid charging hub of this size before. I hope it encourages more people to make the switch to an EV.”

SSE is also planning to build 500 of its own ultra-rapid EV charging hubs powered by traceable, renewable energy in the UK and Ireland by 2030.

Kevin Welstead, EV sector director at SSE Energy Solutions, said: “Gapton Hall is a great example of the sort of hubs that cater to the everyday EV driver, perfectly located to make charging your car straightforward and convenient.

“We’re pressing ahead with our ambitious EV charging infrastructure plans and I look forward to delivering hubs to people right across the UK, both in conjunction with M7 but also with the 500 hubs we plan to build ourselves over the next seven years.”