Massive EV charging hub to open at Birmingham NEC in Autumn 2022

One of the largest EV charging hubs in Europe with more than 180 charge points is to be built at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham.

The NEC Group and The EV Network have been given planning approval for the hub on the NEC Campus, close to Birmingham Airport.

The hub, which will be accessed via a new entrance just off junction 6 of the M42, will contain two kinds of charger. There will be 32 Alpitronic ultra-rapid 300kW DC chargers, which will cater for travellers using the M42.

And a car park next to the hub will have 150 bays for 7kW AC charging, ideal for NEC visitors using the venue.

The project has been developed by The EV Network and is funded by its investment partner, Zood Infrastructure Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of SDCL Energy Efficiency Income Trust.

The EV Network is working with BP Pulse as the charge point operator for the hub as part of a wider agreement between The EV Network, Zood and BP Pulse signed in 2021, which aims to significantly expand the provision of convenient ultra-rapid EV charging infrastructure across the country.

“This is an exciting project with national importance, which will significantly impact the EV charging landscape. The location and size of the charging hub within the UK’s transport infrastructure provides reassurance for drivers travelling between cities,” said Reza Shaybani, Co-Founder and Chief Executive of The EV Network.

“The NEC Birmingham is the largest exhibition space in the country and welcomes several million visitors a year to its venues at the Campus. By introducing this provision, we believe this is an investment not only for visitors to the site, but also into the wider EV charging infrastructure for the UK.”

Plans for the hub also include a drive-thru coffee shop operated by a national chain to cater for visitors waiting for their vehicles to charge. This will provide indoor seating and an additional 26 standard parking bays for other customers.