GRIDSERVE and Extra have opened a new 24-bay ultra-rapid charging hub at Cobham Services on the M25, but the most interesting development sits behind the chargers.
The site uses a Distributed Energy Resources Management System to adjust charging demand according to real-time grid capacity. Power can be increased or reduced in less than 60 seconds, helping the site use available electricity more efficiently.
For fleets, this matters because grid capacity remains one of the biggest barriers to expanding rapid charging.
Smarter connections could allow high-power sites to open more quickly and with lower infrastructure costs than waiting for conventional upgrades.
That could improve charging availability on strategic routes and eventually reduce delays to new fleet charging projects.
Fleet managers should increasingly ask not only how many chargers a site has, but how its power is managed and whether capacity can scale as demand grows.
Flexible grid connections may prove just as important as faster chargers in supporting the next stage of fleet electrification.
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