DEPUTY Prime Minister Nick Clegg has announced Milton Keynes will receive government funding of £1,875,000 towards installing a network of 50 rapid charge units for electric vehicles, capable of fully charging a vehicle in 30 minutes or less.
[From January 2014] The faster speed of charging opens up electric vehicle charging as a possibility for private-hire vehicles for the first time.
As private-hire vehicles can cover very high daily mileages, they would need several re-charges during the working day.
But the speed of rapid electric vehicle charging posts makes recharging ‘electric taxis’ a practical possibility.
Building on the recent launch of the UK’s first wirelessly charged all-electric bus route, Milton Keynes Council is working with organisations including Arup and ChargeMaster alongside local private hire companies as plans are developed to make sure the new rapid charge posts are installed in the best places for use by taxi drivers.
Electric cars charging in Central Milton Keynes
Private motorists will also be able to use the 50 rapid charge posts, which are expected to be installed in Milton Keynes by mid-2015.
There are currently 170 different types of electric vehicle charge posts in Milton Keynes which provide more than 4,000 charges to vehicles each year and this is growing more than steadily and has doubled this quarter since the end of the last quarter.
The rapid charge project will be delivered by a consortium in partnership with Milton Keynes Council, with funding coming from consortium partners and government.
Councilllor Keith McLean, Milton Keynes Council’s cabinet member responsible for transport, said:
“This funding is more good news for Milton Keynes.
“We’re already leading the way on electric transport, having launched the UK’s first all-electric bus service this month, and being among the first places to introduce an electric vehicle charging network.
“These faster charging posts will be appealing to electric car drivers and commercial users, and we’ll continue to work with partners to introduce new and innovative transport schemes locally.”
Source: MK Web