Category Archives: Charging

Lower cost electric vehicle charging in Milton Keynes

September 15, 2015BP Chargemaster, Charging, Electric Cars, Milton Keynes, News, Reviews and CommentTrevor Larkum

This is hopefully a good sign that drivers’ concerns over high charging costs are being listened to.

Milton Keynes Council and Chargemaster have announced an improved vehicle charging network, offering upgraded charging points and reduced costs for electric vehicle owners in the borough.

Low cost electric vehicle charging brought to over 200 charging points in Milton Keynes

Chargemaster, as Milton Keynes’ electric vehicle charging partner, has significantly reduced costs of charging private and company electric cars in the city, with prices now lower than the typical cost of charging at home.

The new POLAR Plus subscription scheme has a usage rate of just 9p per kWh with effect from August 10th, 2015 and applies to over 200 charging points in Milton Keynes including 50 rapid chargers recently installed under a government-funded scheme.

This compares with a typical home electricity rate of approximately 11p per kWh.

Membership of POLAR Plus costs £7.85 per month – similar to popular streaming services Netflix or Amazon Instant – and the first six months’ subscription is free.

Membership gives EV drivers unlimited access to over 4000 POLAR charging points across the country.

In addition, members can accrue usage points, enabling them to borrow, for one week, a range of electric cars through POLAR EXPERIENCE. This fleet includes the BMW i8 and Tesla Model S, as well as Nissan LEAF, Renault ZOE and the fun Renault Twizy.

In future, new EVs launching, including the Tesla Model X SUV and vehicles from Audi and Mercedes, will be available for members to sample shortly after their introduction.

Milton Keynes has already established itself as an extremely convenient location to own an electric car with more rapid chargers than any other city in Europe.

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Milton Keynes Mayor Keith McLean, who test drove the BMW i8 this week, said:

“Electric cars are truly here to stay now with virtually every car manufacturer bringing out new plug-in models. I am proud that Milton Keynes now has such great facilities to encourage low emission vehicles.”

Public EV charging network important

September 8, 2015Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentTrevor Larkum

Next Green Car today announces the first results from the latest EV survey conducted in partnership with KiWi Power, Carbon Trust and the High Speed Sustainable Manufacturing Institute (HSSMI) who are working with InnovateUK to investigate viable ways of integrating electric vehicles (EVs) into the national grid.

The survey, which was conducted in July 2015, provides strong evidence that the availability of charge points can influence where EV drivers decide to park. This implies that car destinations can attract more customers by investing in EV charging infrastructure.

90% of EV users in survey regularly use public EV charging facilities

The results of the survey also shows that, despite most EV users having a home-based charger, almost 70% use a public charging point at least once per week. In contrast, the results indicate that workplace chargers are far less common with over half of EV users having no charging facilities at work.

Birmingham Airport provides rapid charging

September 8, 2015Charging, Ecotricity, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentTrevor Larkum

This could be very useful for me and other EV drivers based in the Midlands

Birmingham Airport has become one of the first British airports to join the Electric Highway and offer fast charging for electric motorists.

Green energy company Ecotricity powers their Electric Highway with 100% renewable energy from the wind and the sun, allowing 35 different models of electric and plug-in hybrid cars to recharge in between 20 and 30 minutes.

Such is the rate of growth in electric cars, that the motoring industry is on track to sell more electric vehicles in the first six months of 2015 than in the previous four years combined.

The Electric Highway is a central part of this success story – for the first time powering one million miles in a month during May and scheduled to reach two million miles a month by the end of the year.

Jo Lloyd, commercial director at Birmingham Airport, said:

“We’re always looking at new and innovative ways of improving the passenger experience at Birmingham Airport, which is why we have installed these electric charging points.

“The growing popularity of electric and hybrid cars means it is vital we provide the facilities that will enable our passengers to travel to-and-from the airport as easily as possible. We’re extremely proud to support this green form of energy and the obvious benefits it brings to the environment.”

Chargemaster buys GB Electrical

September 7, 2015BP Chargemaster, Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentTrevor Larkum

Some consolidation is happening in the charging point market

A 70-strong business headquartered in Hereford has been acquired by a manufacturer of charging points for electric vehicles.

GB Electrical, which installs electric vehicle charging points across the country, has been bought by Chargemaster, a Luton-based business that designs, develops and manufactures the equipment.

To date, the company has used a number of external subcontractors for its installation work and this acquisition will enable it to increase its capacity and quality of installation service.

Chargemaster chief executive David Martell said: “We are delighted to be able to offer our customers a seamless end-to-end service. GB Electrical has many years’ experience in the EV market and offer a national footprint enabling us to provide the highest level of service while offering customers unrivalled value for money.”

Terry Pickering, managing director of GB Electrical, added: “We have been working with Chargemaster for some years now and, as market leader, we have been impressed with the reliability of their equipment and the ease of installation.

“This deal means we can benefit from being part of a leading UK firm, both financially and from an administrative point of view. We’ve been impressed with the help and commitment by sales and back office staff, and I’m excited that my entire workforce has a guaranteed future with the company due to its unique market position.”

The financial value of the deal was undisclosed.

Lands End and John O’Groats to be connected by Electric Highway

August 21, 2015Charging, Ecotricity, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentTrevor Larkum

Good news on the roll-out of currently the best charging network

Ecotricity is to install a rapid charging point at John O’Groats in Scotland within weeks, completing coverage on the iconic route from the northernmost point of the UK to Lands End in Cornwall.

The point will become part of the Electric Highway, which includes almost 250 charging points at 150 locations across the UK, in most cases offering an 80% charge for compatible electric vehicles within half an hour.

With sites at 95% of Britain’s motorway service areas, as well as Ikea stores in city centres, the Electric Highway is now delivery enough energy to power a million miles of electric driving every month. The electricity used is supplied using renewable sources.

Dale Vince, founder of the Electric Highway, said:

“The idea of being able to complete that iconic journey from Land’s End to John O’Groats in any electric car you can buy from a showroom is something quite special – if you’d have said that was possible five years ago, people would have laughed at you.

“Our Electric Highway already covers over 95% of the motorway network, and we’ve begun the installation of electricity pumps on A-roads and strategic locations such as airports and ports – with significant new funding just secured, we’ll be stepping on the gas in the coming months to keep pace with demand.”

Source: EV Fleet World

New London Fire Brigade electric car charge points

August 19, 2015BP Chargemaster, Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentTrevor Larkum

An interesting development – public charging points at fire stations. Presumably intended for visitors rather than passing members of the public?

Chargemaster, one of the UK’s largest suppliers of electric vehicle charging equipment, has completed the installation of 156 charging points at 71 fire stations and five other Brigade sites across London.

The charging points have been installed to support the London Fire Brigade’s growing fleet of electric support vehicles and 18 of the points in 9 locations are also available for public use.

As part of the Brigade’s commitment to reducing carbon emissions, the organisation selected Chargemaster’s popular twin socket fast charging units that can supply charge at a rate of up to 22kW.

Members of the public can use the charge points at Croydon, East Ham, Edmonton, Finchley, Hainault, Harold Hill, Hornsey, Ilford and New Malden fire stations, and can register for access and unlock the charging points on the spot via their smartphone.

The charging points are part of Chargemaster’s POLAR network, one of the largest in the country with over 4,000 publicly available charging points, which have a reliability and availability record of more than 99% according to Chargemaster.

Government funding contributed 75 per cent to the total cost of installing the charging points, while the remaining cost was covered by Chargemaster, which was appointed following a competitive tender to install and manage the charging point sockets.

Speaking about the co-funding deal between Chargemaster and the Department for Transport, Transport Minister Andrew Jones, commented:

“I want cleaner, greener cars across the capital and this money will make a real difference.

“The Department for Transport’s funding for the 156 new charge points will make it easier for people to use these increasingly popular low emission vehicles. It is an example of Britain leading the way in developing sustainable transport options that are accessible to everyone.”

Chargemaster CEO, David Martell, said:

“We are pleased to have worked with London Fire Brigade and to have invested in partnership with Government to expand the charging network available to electric vehicle users in the city.

“All charge points were installed on schedule and are now part of the UK’s most reliable charging network. We are committed to increasing the uptake of electric motoring in the UK and to make it as convenient as possible for motorists.”

London Fire Commissioner Ron Dobson, said:

“I am delighted the Brigade’s electric vehicle charge points have been installed across London and are now ready for use by both Brigade staff and members of the public.

“Electric cars offer big environmental benefits and play an important part in keeping London clean. The new charging network not only makes it easy and convenient to charge up a car’s battery making electric cars easier to use, but also reaffirms London Fire Brigade’s commitment to lead on sustainability in the fire service and reducing our impact on the environment.”

The Brigade currently uses five electric cars through its lease car scheme and hopes to have a further five in its fleet towards the end of year, as a result of additional government funding secured from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles.

To view all the EV charging infrastructure available to the public in the UK, including the 9 installed at London Fire Brigade sites, go to Zap-Map.com.

Source: Next Green Car

Rapid solar vehicle charger installed in Poole

July 29, 2015Charging, Electric Cars, Energy and Climate Change, News, Reviews and Comment, Solar PowerTrevor Larkum

A solar powered rapid charger which can recharge an electric vehicle in 40 minutes has been installed in Dorset

The unit at Poole Civic Centre is the first of its kind in the UK to be installed by a council as part of a government scheme.

It draws its power from solar panels and is faster than standard chargers which take 8-12 hours.

The rapid charger with three standard charging points draws its power from solar panels (Image: Borough of Poole)

Eighteen chargers are to be installed in Dorset following a £900,000 Department for Transport grant.

During daylight hours, the rapid charger with three standard charging points is powered by a 135kWp solar panel installation on the roof of a nearby multi-storey car park.

Ian Potter, the council’s cabinet member for transport, said: “We hope other organisations will follow our lead and install solar panels on their buildings to generate carbon free electricity.”

Six of the rapid chargers are set to be installed in Poole, five in Bournemouth and seven in the rest of Dorset.

Source: BBC

‘Electrification’ of UK road network continues

July 27, 2015Charging, Electric Cars, News, Reviews and CommentTrevor Larkum

The ‘electrification’ of the UK’s road network is continuing at a rapid rate, with one of the latest projects involving the deployment of rapid charging units in a popular tourist region.

Siemens has supplied and installed two triple-outlet, multi-standard rapid charging points in two towns for Cotswold District Council (CDC), providing fast top-ups for visitors and residents with electric vehicles (EVs) travelling within and through the region. Using grant funding from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), the charging points have been installed in Cirencester and Moreton-in-Marsh, where users will be charged £4 (US$6) via a telephone call or cell phone application, covering the energy used and an hour’s worth of parking.

CDC’s cabinet member for enterprise and partnerships, Chris Hancock, commented,

“The new technology will provide an important strategic link between existing charging points on the M4, M5 and M40, encouraging more drivers to stop off in the Cotswolds. We are always looking for innovative ways to harness technology that reduces our carbon footprint, and the installation of EV chargers in both towns will be seen as a very positive step forward.”

Siemens is a major supplier to the country’s growing EV infrastructure market, with a range of charging equipment that includes both modular DC and AC variants for all charging standards, including CHAdeMO and CSC COMBO 2. The company has won a significant number of new contracts for EV rapid charging technology in recent months.

In Manchester, it has supplied and installed four multi-standard triple-outlet rapid chargers, including one on the approach to Picadilly station for Manchester’s first 100% electric bus. Installation of a network of new rapid charging points for EVs is also well underway in the towns of Poole and Bournemouth, Dorset, as part of a complete EV package with three years’ maintenance support provided by Siemens. The company is responsible for the project management, installation and commissioning of a network of its QC45 rapid chargers. The project will be the first rapid charging network installed and operating with fully integrated bay sensors, providing real-time information on bay availability and detection of non-EVs for onward notification to parking enforcement teams.

New rapid charging projects in Scotland include five new multi-standard chargers installed and commissioned for Scottish Borders Council and a further two new chargers in Stirling. The Scottish Government is delivering a network of public charging points for EVs across the region. The scheme, which includes Transport Scotland grants through the Energy Saving Trust, will deliver charging points within every 50 miles (80km) on trunk roads and an integrated network will join EVs with public transport.One of the company’s largest EV projects to date is in Bristol and Gloucestershire.

The delivery of a complete EV charging system includes 15 multi-standard triple-outlet rapid chargers with connection to the Pay As You Go national network provided by Charge Your Car. Project management, site design, civil and electrical works, installation and commissioning, and three years maintenance managed by the company’s field services team is also included.

Source: Traffic Technology Today

‘Electric taxis’ could now join the electric buses in Milton Keynes

June 21, 2015Charging, Electric Cars, Electric Taxis, Milton Keynes, News, Reviews and CommentTrevor Larkum

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

High demand for free electric car loan to Milton Keynes businesses

June 12, 2015Blog, BP Chargemaster, Charging, Electric Cars, Leaf, Milton Keynes, Nissan, Renault, ZOETrevor Larkum

After Milton Keynes Council’s electric vehicle partner Chargemaster Plc announced that it was offering a free electric vehicle loan service to Milton Keynes businesses – the company has seen a surge of interest, with the vehicles now being in ‘high demand.’

Chargemaster has a small fleet of electric vehicles (EV) that can be loaned to companies (and their staff) within Milton Keynes to allow them to experience an electric vehicle for themselves and to see what the benefits of electric motoring are.

A Renault Zoe and two Nissan Leafs are available for loan to MK companies. No charges are levied and companies have the free use of over 200 charging points in the Milton Keynes area including 56 rapid chargers which recharge these cars in less than 30mins.

Businesses in Milton Keynes are being given the opportunity to test out electric cars

Loan cars are available typically for two weeks at a time and are subject to availability on a first come first served basis.

Chargemaster require copies of drivers’ driving licences but otherwise there is no formal paperwork to complete.

This is a great way for companies to sample the benefits of EVs for themselves without having to buy a vehicle first.

With over 20 electric cars on the market from manufacturers such as BMW, VW, Audi, Renault and Nissan, there is a lot more choice within the EV market.

Over the next five years it is predicted that EVs are likely to become the mainstream vehicle with virtually every car manufacturer producing either plug-in hybrids or pure electric EVs with increasing range of over 150 miles.

Electric vehicles provide huge benefits such as low fuel costs, quieter engines and low emissions which will improve air quality in the city.

There are also considerable economic benefits for both companies and employees with very low benefit in kind taxes.

For further information contact Trevor via email (sales@fuelincluded.com).