Gridserve and Roadchef have revealed plans to expand EV charging facilities at Roadchef motorway service areas in the UK.

The first two hubs have launched at Watford Gap North and South, offering 12x 350kW chargers in total

The two firms are opening six new Electric Super Hubs to bolster public charging facilities on some of the UK’s busiest roads, supporting increased EV adoption.

Each site will have a minimum of six 350kW-capable chargers – and the first two have launched at Watford Gap North and South, offering 12x 350kW chargers in total.

Other locations will open soon, including at Annandale Water (A74(M) and Bothwell (M74) in Scotland, plus Chester (M56) and Sandbach (M6).

Roadchef is also planning to make EV charging more comfortable for motorists by providing shelter for travellers when charging in a second phase of development, said to mark a first for any motorway service area.

All Gridserve Electric Super Hubs feature both CCS and CHAdeMO connectors, accept contactless payment and provide real-time status updates to a large number of EV charging maps. The chargers are powered by 100% net zero carbon energy from the company’s hybrid solar and battery farms, supporting Gridserve’s work to “move the needle” on climate change.

Toddington Harper, CEO of Gridserve, said: “We are extremely excited to be announcing the six new Electric Super Hubs with our partner, Roadchef. The 18 high-power chargers at Watford Gap are a very welcome addition on the M1 and it’s great to see the new Scottish Electric Super Hubs at Annandale Water and Bothwell beginning to take shape, to support EV journeys in and around Scotland. 2023 marks a year of rapid growth for the Gridserve Electric Highway and these new locations are vital to give drivers the range and charging confidence on their journeys throughout the UK.”

Paul Comer, director of EV implementation at Roadchef, said: “At Roadchef, our ambition is to achieve net zero by 2040. While as an MSA, it’s our responsibility to make sure the infrastructure is in place ahead of 2030 when the government plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, this investment also goes a long way to deliver on our sustainability goals and certify our environmental, social and governance (ESG) achievements.

“As more people travel on the roads, and the majority will be in EVs, it’s essential for our facilities to be expanded and upgraded to meet the demand. We always strive to deliver on customer satisfaction at Roadchef and we’re certain the developments we have in the pipeline will provide motorists with the facilities they need to have a comfortable stop while they charge.”

Roadchef currently has over 40 Gridserve medium power chargers and 24 standalone AC chargers across 29 sites. Further EV charging expansion will be announced as plans accelerate into 2023.