UK’s National Highways will create energy storage systems to support rapid charging in areas where the national grid is currently not strong enough to provide such facilities

Rob Hakimian / New Civil Engineer »

The new investment from National Highways will create around 20 ESSs, which are like giant battery packs, in the next two years. They will be installed at service stations at the furthest reaches of the Strategic Road Network, where the grid supply is not at the requisite level for rapid charging.

The ESSs work by drawing power from the grid in quiet periods, storing it and making it accessible for rapid charging when it is needed.

In time, it is hoped that all service stations on the road network will be able to access enough power for rapid charging without the ESSs.