Plugged-in firms can spark eco revolution
TEESSIDE companies can help spark the electric vehicle revolution by installing plug-in points that charge in minutes rather than hours.
Regional Development Agency One North East is procuring 12 fast-chargers and is on the look-out for the best places to install them.
By plugging into the 50 kilowatt super-points, drivers will be able to boost their car batteries to 80% capacity in less than half an hour, compared to eight hours for a full charge using a 3kw charge point or four hours using a 7kw charge point.
Journeys beyond a full battery will become possible, and the points will also help combat ‘range anxiety’ - the worry among electric vehicle drivers that their car will run out of power, leaving them stranded.
The fast-chargers are part of plans to install 1,300 charging points by 2013, including hundreds on Teesside.
Roadside services are among the most likely locations, but businesses or organisations on or near the North-east’s major trunk roads and spine roads are being encouraged to get involved. One North East will finance the installation, but partners will be expected to provide a parking space and fund ongoing maintenance and electricity costs.
Dr Colin Herron, manufacturing and productivity manager at One North East, said becoming one of the first locations in Europe for quick chargers represented a real opportunity for Teesside businesses.
“As electric vehicles become more popular, these 12 sites will have the potential to attract significant numbers of drivers, who will be captive audience for a 20-minute period while they are charging up.”
He added the forward-thinking business community and partner organisations in the North-east have put our region in an extremely strong position
The infrastructure work is part of the Office for Low Emission Vehicles’ ‘Plugged-In Places’ initiative, which is helping to establish electric vehicle recharging infrastructure in strategic locations around the UK.
