The National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham, U.K., is one of the world’s leading event venues, hosting a diverse range of exhibitions, conferences, and live events. Strategically located in the heart of England, the NEC is a central hub for global business and entertainment, attracting millions of visitors each year.
As part of its commitment to innovation and sustainability, the NEC has introduced dedicated parking facilities for electric vehicles (EVs). This initiative supports the growing demand for eco-friendly transportation options, making it easier for attendees to reduce their carbon footprint while attending events at this iconic venue.
But it’s not just any EV parking lot – it’s the U.K.’s largest public EV hub.
The addition of the hub provides a significant regional boost to e-mobility and a modal shift in the way people travel to large destination venues. Known as The Gigahub™ – the facility was opened in September 2023 (by the Chancellor of the Exchequer). It boasts 30 ultra-fast 300kW and 150 fast 7kW charge points allowing 180 EVs to charge simultaneously.
The facility is the result of a partnership between the NEC, The EV Network and bp pulse.
The EV Network as the investor for this multimillion-pound project, designed, developed, and constructed the EV charging Gigahub™ after signing a long- term contract with the NEC Group to bring EV charging infrastructure to the entire campus and working with bp pulse on several projects launched throughout 2023.
The NEC Group’s strategic involvement provides the essential foundation for the project – the land. The locational benefits of its real estate at the heart of the national motorway network, make it the ideal space to accommodate the U.K.’s largest EV charging hub.
Avison Young advised The NEC Group (the site owner) by seeking outline rental agreements from the EV charging market to install and run EV charging infrastructure. We identified eight potential operators, providing evaluation, advice and recommendations to the NEC Group as to which parties and offers were the most suitable. Plus, we added value for the client by generating additional offers to help them secure both a diversified income stream and a longer lease length.
We approached and engaged with EV operators off market seeking proposals to run 24 rapid chargers (+150 KW) in a forecourt type arrangement for pass-through visitors and 150 slow (11kw) chargers for the rest of the spaces to accommodate NEC day visitors. We generated proposals from all eight operators and provided advice and recommendations to the NEC Group as to which parties and offers were the most suitable.
The site also features a Starbucks Coffee Greener Store (one that meets a rigorous set of environmental standards) so EV drivers can recharge, while they recharge!
The Gigahub™, highlights Britain’s leadership in green industries and is the U.K.’s biggest private investment in electric charging. It supports the area’s significant traffic, including seven million annual visitors to the NEC alone. The diverse range of charging speeds makes it a major future transport hub and demonstrates effective collaboration in enhancing the U.K.’s EV infrastructure and tackling development challenges.
