NEWS > An electric vehicle revolution in East of England
Published: Thursday, 12 Aug, 2010
The East of England is set to become a haven for electric vehicle owners after being given the green light by government to apply for funding to install around 600 charging points across the region. As part of the government Plugged in Places initiative, a consortium of more than 50 businesses and local authorities from
The East of England is set to become a haven for electric vehicle owners after being given the green light by government to apply for funding to install around 600 charging points across the region. As part of the government Plugged in Places initiative, a consortium of more than 50 businesses and local authorities from across the East of England heard on 29 July 2010 that its proposed GBP5.4 million infrastructure project, ‘EValu8’, has been short listed by the government Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV).
Industry leaders and representatives from local government joined together at a summit to discuss the next steps for this ground breaking project, with the aim of submitting a full business case to government by the end of October. The eight key clusters of Bedford, Cambridge, Ipswich, Norwich, Peterborough, Luton and Hertfordshire, and Thames Gateway South Essex, together with London Stansted Airport, have all been earmarked as prime locations for plug in points, supported by a wider charging network.
One of the main barriers to people buying electric vehicles has been concerns over range and battery life. The East of England’s Plugged in Places proposal has been designed specifically to ensure that local people across the South and East of England are within striking distance of the next plug in point.
A final decision is expected from government by December, and if all goes to plan, installation could be underway as soon as spring 2011. This will ensure that the East of England forms a key part of the UK’s charging network, linking in with the adjacent charging points already being installed in London and Milton Keynes.
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