A few days ago, the very first "Hyper Rapid" 480kW chargers were deployed in Blackpool. Three new chargers have been installed at a Park Garages petrol station in the town and it comes from Project EV, a company which has had a hand in many charger deployments around the UK. The site can accommodate six EVs at a time, and when one charger has two EVs charging, it'll have a maximum of 240kW per vehicle.

It is also worth pointing out that, while currently no EVs can handle above 350kW in the UK, the need for future proofing can't be overlooked. Only recently, Gridserve starting installing 300kW+ chargers and many people asked why, as no EVs at the time supported it and the same questions are being asked again. Currently, the Lotus Eletre can charge at 350kW and the Porsche Tacan can take 320kW. The E-GMP platform from the Hyundai Group can also handle 350kW to achieve its maximum speed.

The interesting thing about this site is that, while one charger can output 480kW, when using two it'll output 240kW to each vehicle. This will no doubt help reduce wait times and make sure people can charge quickly.

These new chargers have been labelled as 'Hyper Rapid' on Zapmap and as of writing, these new chargers are the only ones in the UK to be classed as such.

"We recognised the importance of helping them stand out in a competitive market, which is why we developed our new 480kW hyper-speed charger. This innovative charger can simultaneously deliver 240kW to two vehicles, ensuring faster, more efficient public charging. Moreover, it’s designed to accommodate the future of electric vehicles with advanced charging capabilities.”

Richard Pink, CTO Project EV

The new chargers are operational from today and can be found on Preston Road in Blackpool. Once it is available, this post will be updated with the Zapmap link.