MOTO boss warns EV charging will require 12 times as much energy by 2030

By 2030, charging electric vehicles will require 12 times the energy we currently have, Moto chief executive Ken McMeikan warned as his company hit a milestone of 200 charge points.

He said the government’s and National Grid’s commitment to helping the industry meet the challenges is vital.

“The electric vehicle revolution is in full swing, ushering in a new future of more sustainable transportation,” he said. “By 2040, we will need ten times as many chargers to meet the projected increase in demand.”

He said while Moto is optimistic that the challenge posed can be overcome, open discussions are needed. Improving the UK’s energy mix and grid capacity will require leadership from businesses, commercial landlords, governments, DNOs and charging providers brought together to work together on solutions.

Access to charging points has increased by 34% since August 2021, with the number currently standing at almost 34,000 public charging points in the UK. But despite industry efforts to invest in EV infrastructure, range and charging anxiety remain stumbling blocks in the EV transition.

Moto’s launch aims to address this issue significantly, bringing faster and more convenient ultra-fast chargers to the UK’s motorway network, where drivers are more likely to travel these longer distances.

Moto now has 211 ultra-fast electric vehicle chargers available across its network after 12 new chargers opened at Moto Reading Westbound last week.

The launch comes as part of Moto’s ongoing nationwide effort to improve access to charging facilities on the UK’s motorways, reduce range anxiety for EV drivers and encourage more car owners to switch to electric vehicles.

Prior to launch, Gridserve and Tesla had already equipped 20 hubs at Moto sites with ultra-fast chargers and created the largest superhub on the UK motorway at Moto Exeter Services, which has a total of 33 chargers.

Initially, 12 Gridserve chargers have been introduced as part of the recent network expansion at Moto Reading Westbound on the M4, with capacity to expand if future demand so requires. The 350kW capable ultra-fast chargers are powered by renewable, carbon-free energy and are said to deliver up to 100 miles of range in less than 10 minutes.

All 12 chargers have been online since last Thursday (January 26), offering EV motorists the opportunity to fast charge while traveling in and around Oxfordshire. Investing in new charging options is part of Moto’s ongoing effort to realize its goal of revolutionizing EV infrastructure for UK motorists. This latest investment highlights the multitude of EV chargers now available for the M4, with a total of 53 ultra-fast chargers in Moto Heston (West), Reading, Leigh Delamere, Severn View and Swansea, with more planned.

Moto Reading, Woolley Edge and Hilton Park now have ultra-fast charging facilities on both sides of the carriageway, becoming Moto’s first twin service stations with an EV offering. Moto, Gridserve and Tesla are expected to invest and open more superhubs later this year.

McMeikan said: “When we opened our first ultra-fast EV charging station at Moto Rugby, we knew it represented a major turning point in the feasibility of EV ownership – and signaled the introduction of more accessible, reliable and faster on-the-go charging options. Now, just 18 months later, to have over 200 such charging points in our network is a tremendous achievement. Together with our partners, we have overcome significant planning, legal and infrastructure barriers to provide EV owners with a better charging experience and make EV ownership a more attractive prospect.

“But the work doesn’t stop there. UK demand for electric vehicles continues to grow and already accounts for almost a fifth of all new car sales. Our network-wide rollout continues to meet this demand and work toward our goal of installing more than 1,600 ultra-fast chargers by 2030.”

Toddington Harper, CEO of Gridserve said: “Gridserve is committed to delivering a charging network that is easy to use, reliable and offers a great customer experience. We’re proud of the Super Hubs that have been supplied in our partnership with Moto and we’re keen to expand our UK network of chargers in tandem with the growth of EVs, so drivers are safe to switch to electric both today and as of vehicles will increase in the future.”

Latest forecasts from Moto show what the future of EV driving on the UK’s roads will be over the next two decades, with one in 25 cars on the road being EVs in 2023, one in 10 by 2025, one in 3 by 2030 and four in five by 2040.

Moto, Gridserve and Tesla’s drive to bring ultra-fast EV infrastructure to the UK’s motorways aims to cater to this trend and deliver 330 new ultra-fast chargers to the growing cohort of EV drivers by To be brought to the Moto network in late 2023. 720 by 2025, 1,630 by 2030 and 2,800 by 2040.