What's better than an electric vehicle charging hub? That's easy: an electric vehicle HyperHub – and three of them are being set up close to York this year.
The HyperHub project is a grand name for an interesting partnership between renewable technology specialist EvoEnergy and the City of York Council. The first site has just opened at Monks Cross, close to one of York's Park and Ride sites, and features four 175kW chargers – which can be updated to 350kW – four 50kW units and access to 30 7kW charge points.
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The HyperHub also features a solar canopy to gather renewable energy, which is stored in a Tesla Powerpack battery and is then used to power the hub. Meanwhile, the rapid chargers accept contactless pavements, and the entire site is kerb-free to aid disabled access.
GridBeyond's AI software platform will be used to help monitor the facility, ensuring that it is charged at optimum times for the lowest cost and maximum use of renewable energy.
A second HyperHub will open next to the Poppleton Bar Park and Ride this summer, with a third close to the cite centre opening later this year.
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The HyperHubs was developed in response to the City of York Council's Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy. That noted the importance of a convenient location in encouraging the use of charging, which is why the first two site are located next to Park and Ride sites.
The council determined that such hubs were not yet commercially viable for the private secret to develop, and determined it would be best placed developing its own network – which it can then grow in future and set tariffs for.
The project has been funding by £1 million of European Regional Development funding, £800,000 from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles and £400,000 from the council's own development fund.
In a joint statement, Keith Aspden and Andy D'Agorne, the leader and deputy leader of the City of York Council respectively, said: "In addition to charging points already available in car parks for residents living closer to the city centre, the HyperHubs - rather than on-street overnight charging provision - are part of our strategy for diversity of provision.”
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