Scotland’s most powerful EV charging hub goes live in Dundee – Scottish Business News

THE MOST powerful electric vehicle (EV) charging hub in Scotland, installed by SSE, has been officially opened by Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop.

The Myrekirk Roundabout site will feature a total of 24 ultra-rapid charging bays with a total capacity of almost two and a half megawatts, the equivalent of 68,311 gallons of petrol.

Eight of the bays will be powered by charge units of up to 360-kilowatts, capable of delivering up to 60 miles of range in just three minutes. The hub is the first publicly accessible location anywhere in Scotland to feature charge units this powerful.

The remaining 16 bays will feature 150-kilowatt charge units, sufficient to deliver just under 8 miles of range per minute of charging to a standard family car. Additionally, the project will feature a green roof populated with sedum plants to enhance the biodiversity of the site. Green roofs provide habitats for insects and birds and help to filter pollutants out of the air.

SSE has installed a second ultra-rapid charging hub in the city at Kingsway West which features 8 charging bays with 150-kilowatt charge units and curb-less charging areas to ensure accessibility for all.

SSE plans to build 300 ultra-rapid EV charging hubs powered by traceable, renewable energy in the UK and Ireland in the next five years with several sites already open and more under construction. The company has also announced plans to build its first e-HGV charging hub at Tyseley Energy Park in Birmingham.

Figures from the charger mapping service Zapmap show a 43% increase in the number of public chargers in the year to June 2024, taking the total number to 5,663. However, concerns remain that charging infrastructure is not keeping pace with electric vehicle sales.

The Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, said:

”I’m pleased to join SSE to officially open the Myrekirk Charging Hub. This site features some of the most powerful electric vehicle charging available – offering customers brilliantly fast charging while providing range confidence for people living in and visiting Dundee.

“To reduce transport emissions and protect the climate, the Scottish Government is committed to phasing out the need for new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030. We can only do this if people have confidence in the availability of charging infrastructure – and that can only be achieved through private investment like what we can see here from SSE at Myrekirk.

“With private investment we can grow the network with the pace and scale required to meet our commitment to see approximately 24,000 additional public charge points added by 2030. The Scottish Government’s £30 million Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund is an example of how we’re working to continue to attract private investment in public EV charging and continue to grow the network as we transition to a net zero transport system. Our latest funding will ensure more places in Scotland benefit from the kind of high quality infrastructure we can see here in Dundee.”

Neil Kirkby, Managing Director for Enterprise at SSE, said:

“SSE is playing a key role in decarbonising the UK and Ireland’s transport system, with a commitment to roll-out 300 ultra rapid charging hubs over the next 5 years. The opening of Scotland’s most powerful charging hub at Myrekirk represents a key milestone on that journey, supporting progress on the commitment made by the City of Dundee to installing fast and reliable ultra rapid EV charging infrastructure for drivers and fleet owners.”