Electric charging points - Earlier this month Elektromotive announced its biggest-ever order for Elektrobay recharging points for the north east of England.
Finally some electric car charging infrastructure comparable to what's available in London, elsewhere in the country! The North East is embracing ‘green’ motoring following confirmation that an advanced network of 1,300 electric vehicle (EV) recharging posts will be installed within the next three years. An advance phase of 200 Elektrobay recharging posts will be going in during August 2010.
The installations are being commissioned by Regional Development Agency One North East through Newcastle City Council, as part of their 'Plugged-In Places' initiative, which is helping to establish electric vehicle recharging infrastructure in key strategic locations around the UK. Elektrobays are a popoular technology with some 300+ already installed across the UK
Dozens of businesses and organisations have already signed up to the Plugged-In Places scheme in the North East, and the new posts will be installed soon at locations from Berwick to Teesside, including the Angel of the North, Gateshead; Claremont Road, Newcastle; Belmont Park & Ride, Durham; Hadrian’s Wall, Northumberland; Park Lane Interchange, Sunderland; Cobalt Business Park, North Tyneside; Souter Lighthouse, South Tyneside; Hartlepool Transport Interchange and Teesside University, Middlesbrough.
Realising that concerns over how far electric vehicles can travel between chargers, coined 'range anxiety' (which is a new one for physcoanalysts!) , those behind the scheme have realised that "developing a comprehensive charging network which allows people to charge at home, at work, in town and city centres and at our visitor attractions, will be key to showing drivers that the switch to low carbon transport is viable".
The Plugged-in Places scheme fund offers companies and organisations based in the North East match-funding for charging points so it approximately costs around £2,500 instead of the normal £5,000. North East businesses and organisations interested in accessing match-funding and grants for charging points should contact the PIP project Manager Josey Wardle on Tel: 0191 2296693.