Oxford Taxi Rapid Chargers

All content on this case study was created prior to the acquisition of EB Charging by Blink Charging.

After the successful installation of two rapid chargers specifically for taxi drivers at Manzil Way, Oxford, Blink Charging won a contract to install six more in collaboration with Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council.

The six EVBox Troniq 50kW units will be active by October, bringing the total installed by Blink Charging across Oxford to eight. This installation process has been made possible by a six-month feasibility study where an initial 50 sites were reduced to an eventual six through our stringent site selection process which was supported by a series of desktop surveys.

Though the bays have primarily been installed with taxi drivers in mind, some will be opened up to public use as well. This means that the installation of the units will be able to ensure positive social value in line with Oxford City Council’s EV strategy – one of the rapid chargers, for example, will be installed in a local leisure centre, allowing both local businesses and the general public to share in the benefits of the project.

The project involved bringing together Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council, and third parties whose land we required in order to install the units. We not only delivered a solution that satisfied the requirements of all parties involved, but which also specifically delivered on the City Council’s infrastructure goals, complementing their accompanying projects with other suppliers, such as their local Park and Ride scheme.

The City Council have emphasised the need to accommodate different user groups across Oxford, and the creation of a charging infrastructure which can serve both businesses and the local community. This rapid charger project, alongside EB’s separate network of on-street chargers within Oxford, will allow for sufficient provision when the uptake of EVs in the city increases as anticipated.