Category Archives: Milton Keynes

Number of electric vehicles in Milton Keynes triples

January 13, 2017Charging, Electric Cars, Milton Keynes, News, Reviews and Comment, SalesTrevor Larkum

The number of electric vehicle (EV) users in Milton Keynes has tripled over the summer.

Electric charge point CMK (Image: One MK)

In January 2016, Milton Keynes Council was awarded Go Ultra Low City status which through funding support from central government for infrastructure is designed to increase the use of EVs in the city. The number has now increased from 220 in July to 661 by the end of September.

Milton Keynes has more than 170 standard and 56 rapid charging points, with more being installed in the near future.

July saw the launch of the new ‘Green Parking Permit’ for ultra-low EVs which allows them to park for free in purple bays, the red/black employee spaces (Mon-Fri) and in the specified EV spaces. To date, the council has issued 157 permits.

The Green Permit is free if your vehicle fits the criteria of producing 75g/km or less of CO².

Chargemaster, who run the vehicle charging points across MK, has recorded a four-fold increase in their usage.

These latest figures indicate that EVs are becoming more popular in MK and less of a niche choice by motorists.

Cllr Liz Gifford, cabinet member for transport said

“These latest stats are very encouraging and show that people are turning more and more to electric vehicles.”

“It’s important to us to reduce our carbon footprint as much as possible and these ultra-low vehicles are the way to do just that.”

David Martell, chief executive of Chargemaster PLC, the operators of the Milton Keynes charging network commented:

“The policies of Milton Keynes Council encouraging electric vehicles are clearly working. By having a high quality network of charging points, low cost electric charging and with free parking in many areas Milton Keynes is a great place to own an EV.

“In addition, the new initiatives under the Milton Keynes Go Ultra Low plans will keep this momentum going helped by many new electric models coming along from key manufacturers like VW, BMW, Jaguar and Audi. This all bodes well for a high proportion of electric vehicles in Milton Keynes over the next decade which will keep emissions low and air quality at a high level.”

Hyundai IONIQ Electric Delivery

January 2, 2017Blog, Electric Cars, Hyundai, IONIQ Electric, Milton KeynesTrevor Larkum

I had the pleasure last Friday to attend the delivery of one of the UK’s first Hyundai Ioniq Electric’s to my friend and colleague Trevor Heale. I have to say I was impressed with the Ioniq Electric in the flesh.

Hyundai Ioniq Electric Handover (Image: T. Larkum)

Not only did it look good, but it had an impressive list of equipment including automatic cruise control, blind spot warning, electrically positioned driver’s seat, and so on.

Hyundai Ioniq Electrc (Image: T. Larkum)

The handover was lengthy but thorough and Patrick at Bletchley Hyundai did a good job of explaining most of the car’s features despite a lack of documentation from Hyundai HQ.

A Happy Trevor and his Hyundai Ioniq (Image: T. Larkum)

I have no doubt that Trevor will enjoy his Ioniq. He has promised to tell us about his experiences with it and we look forward to publishing his blog posts here soon.

[Update: Trevor’s first post is here]

[Update 2: We have uploaded a video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZevl6nzimk]

Central Milton Keynes is like an electric car showroom

December 15, 2016Blog, Electric Cars, Milton KeynesTrevor Larkum

Milton Keynes leads the way in the UK with the take-up of electric cars. This is partly a result of it being an EV ‘hub’, with a council that’s forward thinking and a strong supporter of EVs.

This is the scene just down from our location in the Entrepreneurial Spark building on Silbury Boulevard. Kudos if you can identify all the EVs visible – if you think you can, put your answers in the comments below.

Halfway through Start-up Program

November 11, 2016Blog, Milton KeynesTrevor Larkum

We are now halfway through the Entrepreneurial Spark programme for start-ups that we embarked on in August. Fuel Included is in the ‘Hatchery’ in Milton Keynes.

Entrepreneurial Spark #GoDoAcceler8 event in Millton Keynes (Image: CO Photo Design)

This week saw the halfway point marked by a series of programs known as #GoDoAcceler8. We had presentations during the day on skills for start-up entrepreneurs, followed by an awards evening. A good time was had by all!

MK Start-up Marketplace

November 3, 2016Blog, BMW, Electric Cars, i3, i3 94Ah, Milton KeynesTrevor Larkum

We’ve been invited to have an electric car display at the MK Start-up Marketplace in Milton Keynes so that’s where we are today.

The event is about showcasing small businesses and is being held in Middleton Hall, the large open area outside John Lewis. Bringing in a car, our BMW i3, meant we had to arrive early, so we’re already setup and awaiting our first visitors.

[Part 2]

Free Car Parking for Electric Vehicles in Milton Keynes

October 10, 2016Blog, Electric Cars, Milton Keynes, ParkingTrevor Larkum

Working out exactly where you can park an EV for free in Milton Keynes has for a long time been tricky. At some charge points you have to be plugged in to get free parking but not at others, and it’s never been clear to me which is which.

However things have improved significantly recently as a new scheme has started (7 July 2016) which allows you to park for free in any parking spaces in Purple Zones, which seems to be most of them, so long as you register first.

The process is pretty straightforward (though a completely online system would seem to be more appropriate):

You’ll need proof that that your car is an ‘Ultra Low Electric Vehicle’ (‘fuel type’ is ‘Electricity’). Ideally get a copy of your V5C registration document. This should be sent to you if you bought the car (e.g. on PCP). If instead you leased the car you can request a copy from your leasing company (they keep it as technically they own the car). Alternatively i’ve heard that you can just take a copy of the car’s details from the DVLA website, though I haven’t tried this approach myself.
Go to the MK Council’s Electric Vehicle Charge Points web page and download the form from the link labelled green permit application form (PDF, 165KB).
Complete the form.
If you can, scan the form and the proof of electric fuel type and email it back to parkingpermitapplications@milton-keynes.gov.uk.
If not, you’ll need to post them to the address on the form (you would also need to do this if the car is not a plug-in but a vehicle with emissions between 75 and 100g/km like some hybrids and eco cars and you want to pay by cheque. Whereas electrics, plug-in hybrids and some hybrids with emissions below 75g/km are free to register, vehicles producing emissions in the upper band pay £75).

My free electric car parking permit (Image: T. Larkum)

I applied about a week ago and my parking permit has just arrived back – I’m impressed at how quick it was. You receive an A4 letter, part of which is the tear-off permit. You also get a self-adhesive holder which sticks inside the windscreen.

My i3 proudly showing off its new parking permit (Image: T. Larkum)

All that remains is to attach the permit inside the car and you’re ready to park almost anywhere in Milton Keynes (you still need to avoid the high priced Red Zones).

The Spark – the voice of UK entrepreneurs – visits Milton Keynes

At Fuel Included we’re pleased to say we’ve been recognised as a start-up company with the potential for fast growth.

We have been invited into the nationwide Entrepreneurial Spark programme, one of the world’s largest business accelerators for early stage and growing ventures, with a place for us at the Milton Keynes office. This so-called ‘Hatchery’ had its official opening on 5 September:

15,000 free parking spaces for electric vehicles created in Milton Keynes

August 29, 2016Charging, Electric Cars, Milton Keynes, News, Reviews and CommentTrevor Larkum

Go Ultra Low Cities funding used to encourage the uptake of EVs in Buckinghamshire town

Fifteen thousand free electric vehicle-only parking spaces have been created in Milton Keynes.

The scheme is the first in a series of UK initiatives designed to give people more reason to buy electric vehicles, and was funded using the Government ‘Go Ultra Low Cities’ funding.

The parking spaces come as the first part of a several stage plan for Milton Keynes, which includes adding charging hubs that can fast charge some EVs in just 30mins, destination chargers that are located at places such as residential areas, restaurants and shops, and giving EVs access to bus lanes in the town.

Transport Minister Andrew Jones said:

“The Go Ultra Low Cities grant will also help to create an Electric Vehicle Experience Centre in the city.

“We are investing £600 million in cleaner, greener vehicles by 2020 to improve air quality, create jobs and achieve our goal of every car and van in the UK being zero-emissions by 2050.”

The other cities involved in this new EV initiative are Bristol, London and Nottingham, with each receiving £40 million in funding to encourage residents to buy and use EVs. Milton Keynes is the first to allocate much of its grant money to such a large-scale scheme.

Earlier this week, London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced plans to introduce an emissions-tackling ‘T-charge’ in central London. Unlike the Milton Keynes scheme, however, it doesn’t directly reward EV drivers for driving zero-emissions vehicles, instead penalising drivers of high-emissions vehicles.

Source: Autocar

MILTON KEYNES RECEIVES £9MILLION GOVERNMENT FUND TO PROMOTE ELECTRIC CARS

February 7, 2016Charging, Electric Cars, Milton Keynes, News, Reviews and CommentTrevor Larkum

MILTON Keynes has been named as one of several UK cities to receive funds worth millions of pounds to promote electric cars.

Electric cars charging in Central Milton Keynes

£9million has been allocated to MK to construct a Electric Vehicle Experience Centre that promotes electric cars and can arrange short-term loans. Funds will also be used to make the city’s 20,000 parking spaces available for all electric cars, and to allow them to use bus lanes in the city, which will be re-designated as “low-emissions lanes”.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin made the announcement earlier today, which is part of a £40million scheme.

He said,

“These Go Ultra Low Cities have proposed exciting, innovative ideas that will encourage drivers to choose an electric car. I want to see thousands more greener vehicles on our roads and I am proud to back this ambition with £40 million to help the UK become international pioneers of emission cutting technology.”

At present, a number of parking areas in Central Milton Keynes are designated for electric vehicles, and charging points have become an increasingly common site in the city. Milton Keynes will also pay host to a trial for driverless vehicles.

The other cities to receive a share of the money are London, Bristol and Nottingham/Derby, while further funds have been established for new projects in Dundee, Oxford and North East England.

Poppy Welch, who is the head of advocacy group Go Ultra Low, said,

“We’re excited to see the innovative ideas put forward by each of the winning Go Ultra Low Cities become reality over the coming months. The £40 million investment by government, combined with funds from each winning area, will transform the roads for residents in and around the 4 Go Ultra Low Cities.”

Source: Citiblog

The UK government just gave electric cars a £40m boost

From street lights that charge your car to ULEV-only spaces, the UK is about to get even more EV-friendly

https://youtu.be/Z_2KbeWTrSA

[From 26 January] Figures show low-emission transport in the UK is already on the rise, but the government has given it a £40 million helping hand. Yesterday, the transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin announced cities including Nottingham, Bristol, Milton Keynes and London will get a total of £40 million to help encourage drivers to use ultra-low emissions vehicles (ULEVs). The prize fund came courtesy of the Go Ultra Low City Scheme, a competition that awarded grants to cities with the most eco-friendly proposals.

Although Go Ultra Low has awarded £40 million to eight separate cities, the money won’t be shared equally. So what is each city doing with the money?

London plans to use its £13 million share to help form “Neighbourhoods of the Future”, a multilateral programme that intends to prioritise ULEVs over traditionally-powered vehicles. Hackney will dramatically increase its charging infrastructure by building power points into existing street lights, while Harrow will offer priority traffic lanes and parking spaces to those in low emissions vehicles.
Milton Keynes will use £9 million to open an advice and loan centre, meaning prospective buyers can get advice about ULEVs – and even test-drive selected models. The city will also make its 20,000 parking bays free for EV-owners.
Bristol is set to use £7 million of the fund offer three ULEV-only lanes, and 80 additional charging points.
Finally, Nottinghamshire and Derby will use £6 million to install 230 charging points – as well as giving ULEV owners cheaper parking and access to selected bus routes.