Transport Minister Norman Baker paid a visit to the North East to see first hand how the region is striding ahead in establishing an EV recharging network.
The visit coincided with an important milestone for the Charge your Car project, which is now set to install its 300th charging point this month. The project was set up with £7.8 million in funding from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles and regional partners, after the North East region was named as one of the country’s first ‘Plugged-in Places’.
In the North East England, the project has been running since 2010 with the aim to have a comprehensive electric vehicle (EV) network of 1,000 charging points in place by 2013. Already the region is the most connected in the country.
The charging network will also include residential charging points, along with the mixture of ‘intelligent’ 7KW and 3KW charge points being installed at businesses and in public car parks.
Mr Baker met the Charge your Car team at the Skills Academy for Sustainable Manufacturing and Innovation and was given an introduction to the region’s network.
Charge your Car project manager Josey Wardle, said: “We were delighted to showcase the region’s leading status in the EV network to Mr Baker and his visit marks an extremely exciting moment for both the project and the region. With 300 charging points being installed and many more in the pipeline, this region is fully geared up for electric vehicles and drivers are now able to travel freely and easily right across the North East, safe in the knowledge that they are never too far away from a charging post.”
Mr Baker was also given the opportunity to get hands on experience of the charging network as he ‘quick charged’ the Nissan LEAF. Nissan is set to put the LEAF into production at its Sunderland plant in March 2013, further boosting the presence of an electric revolution in the North East.
Transport Minister Norman Baker said: “These cutting edge vehicles have the potential to revolutionise motoring in this country but they will only be a truly viable option if drivers are able to easily re-charge.
“The government is fully committed to working with industry to create a world-leading charging network that really reflects the needs of its users.”
