SC22154 - Kent Ultra-Rapid Electric Vehicle Charging Hubs Project

<p>Kent County Council (the Council) is the largest county council in England, covering an area of 3 500 square kilometres. It has an annual expenditure of over GBP 900 000 000 on goods and services and a population of 1 300 000. The Council provides a wide range of personal and strategic services on behalf of its residents, operating in partnership with 12 district councils and 305 parish and town councils. The Council is responsible for maintaining over 8 700 km of carriageways and 6 300 km of footways across the County.</p>
<p>In line with Government plans to decarbonise transport and end the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2030, Kent County Council is preparing the network for zero emission vehicles and in doing so supporting the ambition to reach net zero by 2050.</p>
<p>The Ultra-Rapid Hubs project aims to implement ultra-rapid charging infrastructure in the format of &lsquo;hubs&rsquo; across Kent, providing up-to-date high speed charging technology to facilitate longer journeys and reduce &lsquo;range anxiety&rsquo; among EV users.</p>
<p>KCC are looking to partner with a supplier to deliver these ultra-rapid hubs on KCC-owned land, with several commercial models in consideration ranging from lease arrangements to profit/revenue share. Each location may present an opportunity for different configurations of chargers and facilities; however, the minimum expectation is that 150kwh speed charging bays will be provided to support large numbers of vehicle uses per week. It is desirable that at least 6 ultra-rapid chargers are provided at each location with additional speeds and options made available where suitable. Load balancing, longer duration chargers, welfare facilities and amenities are some of the options that should be considered.</p>
<p>Please find attached a Market Engagement Questionnaire designed to gather information relating to this tender, which will be used to inform KCC&rsquo;s strategy for commissioning these services. In the attached document, we have included a number of questions for you to complete. Your responses will help us understand your level of experience with ultra-rapid charging, your ideas for hub design and your cost estimates for this type of scheme.</p>
<p>Please complete and return via the Message function on the Kent Business Portal no later than 12:00pm on 22 June 2022. Earlier responses would be welcomed and meetings with suppliers will be setup on an ad-hoc basis. Meetings will be held throughout June and July.</p>