What are EV Charging Hubs? Where and How to Install Infrastructure

We now have more than 1,000,000+ fully electric cars and 620,000 plug-in hybrids on UK roads. That’s a lot of drivers to cater for. The good news is, the EV charging market is growing rapidly, with a mixture of slow, fast, rapid and ultra-rapid charging being built out across the country. 

Insights from our 2023 customer satisfaction survey have told us that when it comes to the most convenient charge point location, on route to a destination at a rapid charger are what 50% of drivers are looking for. 

If a driver stumbles across an EV charging hub at their destination, this is even more of a convenience. In this blog, we explore why, asking: 

• What exactly is an EV charging hub? 
• Where are we likely to find an EV charging hub? 

What is an EV Charging Hub?

An EV charging hub is typically a location with six or more charging bays of rapid/ultra-rapid EV charging. Take a look at our work at Blue Diamond garden centres and Stane Retail Park for examples of the layout and features of a charging hub. 

The benefit of having a hub of EV chargers at a driver’s destination is it removes the need for the driver to go on the hunt for a charger nearby, therefore adding to their journey and making their trip slightly more inconvenient. But additionally, if there are multiple charge points available, then the chance of being able to get that all-important charge is made more likely. 

What type of charging should be installed at an EV charging hub?

When it comes to installing an EV charging hub, the most important thing to matching the type of charging to your normal customer’s dwell time. Taking a garden centre as an example, this is typically 45-60 minutes, so an EV charging hub should be made up of rapid (DC) chargers. It depends on a car battery size, but on average, a 75kW rapid charge can power an EV battery to 80% in about 30 minutes. If you were to install AC chargers, most customers would not be there long enough to make using them meaningful, so garden centre owners would be missing out on both providing an excellent service to your customers and a revenue opportunity. 

Where are the Best Places to Install a Charging Hub?

As drivers will need to stay longer at the charging location while they wait for their EVs to charge, they will likely prioritise a destination that has something for them to do.  

As we mention above, destinations where drivers are going to be staying for a period of time anyway (up to/no longer than one hour) are great places to install an EV charging hub. This includes places like garden centres, shopping outlets, retail parks, leisure centres and supermarkets. 

Why Landowners Should Be Interested in EV Charging Hubs?

As the electric mobility transition continues, a quality customer experience at EV charging hubs will become increasingly important. More and more landowners and destinations are looking to introduce EV charging hubs, and competition will be fierce in the next few years to retain a loyal customer base who can shop and charge at your destination. 

In a series of upcoming blogs, Elizabeth Warren, Director of Public Charging at Mer UK, will be sharing why supermarkets, retail destinations and garden centres should be interested in the pending transition towards full electric mobility in the UK and why this means they should be looking to install public EV charging hubs.