Supercharging one of the UK’s largest motorway EV charging hubs 

Project summary:

• Sector: E-Mobility | EV Charging
• Clients: Moto Hospitality and GRIDSERVE
• Location: Moto Tamworth, Junction 10, M42, United Kingdom
• Expertise: Electrical Engineering – Low Voltage Power Distribution
• Scope: Feasibility | Design | ICP | Primary Substations | Electrical Engineering | Civil Engineering | Installation | Commissioning | Maintenance

Key outcomes:

• Created a major high-power EV charging destination supporting passenger, eHGV and long-vehicle charging 
• Delivered the UK’s largest dedicated EV primary substation at motorway services to date 
• Managed the project from early-stage advice and design through construction, commissioning and handover, providing a single point of contact throughout 
• Completed complex electrical and civil works within a fully operational motorway service area, minimising disruption to ongoing operations 

Investing in the transition to electric transport

Moto Hospitality and GRIDSERVE are two major organisations driving the expansion of high-power EV charging across the UK. 

Moto Hospitality is the UK’s largest motorway service area operator, with a nationwide network serving millions of motorists each year. The business is investing in ultra-rapid EV charging across its estate through Moto CHARGE and partnerships with major Charge Point Operators. 

GRIDSERVE is a leading UK technology-enabled sustainable energy company and operator of the GRIDSERVE Electric Highway. Its Electric Freightway programme, supported by the UK Department for Transport, is expanding the high-power charging infrastructure needed for the transition to electric commercial vehicles and eHGVs. 

At Moto Tamworth, the clients required an experienced engineering partner capable of delivering the power infrastructure behind a major multi-hub charging destination. The brief called for substantial new grid capacity and a high-voltage distribution network capable of serving passenger EVs, eHGVs and other long vehicles, while providing flexibility for the site’s future development. 

Crucially, this infrastructure had to be integrated into a busy motorway service area without compromising existing operations. 

Meeting the power demands of large-scale EV charging

The scale and diversity of charging planned at Moto Tamworth placed significant demands on the site’s electrical infrastructure. 

The development included a 24-bay passenger EV charging facility for GRIDSERVE, a 12-bay Moto CHARGE ultra-rapid charging hub and eight publicly accessible charging bays for extra-large electric vehicles. 

Supplying these facilities required a major increase in electrical capacity, together with a high-voltage network capable of distributing power safely and reliably across multiple charging areas. 

The engineering and construction programme also had to accommodate the constraints of a live motorway service area and hotel, including existing infrastructure, customer access and ongoing site operations.

High-power capacity engineered for growth

Actemium UK provided a turnkey engineering solution, taking responsibility from early-stage advice and feasibility through design, construction, commissioning and handover. 

At the heart of the solution is a new 33 kV primary substation providing 14 MVA of electrical capacity, creating the power foundation for the site’s high-demand charging infrastructure. 

Power is stepped down through two transformers and distributed via three on-site 11 kV substations, creating a robust high-voltage network serving the different charging areas across Moto Tamworth. 

Actemium’s scope also included: 

• Civil engineering 
• Electrical installation 
• Testing and commissioning 
• Project handover 
• Ongoing maintenance support for Moto CHARGE 

Bringing ICP, high-voltage, civil and electrical engineering capabilities together under one partner simplified interfaces, improved coordination and provided continuity throughout the project lifecycle. 

Operational and business benefits 

The completed infrastructure provided Moto Hospitality and GRIDSERVE a high-capacity electrical platform designed to support reliable charging today and continued electrification of road transport as demand increases. 

• Capacity for growth: 14 MVA provides the power required for current charging infrastructure with headroom for further development 

• Reliable power distribution: the 33 kV primary substation and three 11 kV substations provide robust distribution across the site 

• Passenger and commercial charging: the infrastructure supports a broad range of electric vehicles, from passenger cars and vans to buses and eHGVs 

• Simplified project delivery: one engineering partner managed multiple disciplines and interfaces from early advice through to handover 

• Business continuity: careful planning around the live motorway service environment enabled existing facilities to remain operational throughout the works 

• Long-term asset performance: ongoing maintenance support helps protect the reliability, safety and performance of the Moto Charge infrastructure 

• Accelerating decarbonisation: increased high-power charging capacity supports the continued transition of passenger and commercial transport to electric 

Moto Tamworth demonstrates the scale of electrical infrastructure now required to support the next generation of high-power EV charging. By combining ICP capability with high-voltage, civil and electrical engineering expertise, Actemium UK delivers bespoke solutions built around the capacity, operational and future requirements of CPOs, landowners, fleet operators and freight businesses.