Government drives EV charging innovation with £37m funding
The government is investing £37 million to support the development of new and innovative technologies for electric vehicle (EV) charging.
The funding is being shared by 12 projects, which include solar-powered forecourts as well as underground and wireless charging technologies.
One of the companies, Urban Foresight, has been granted more than £3 million to roll out “pop-up” chargers, which are built into the pavement and provide a discreet, low cost charging solution for EV drivers without access to off-street parking.
Char.gy has also been awarded more than £2.3 million to deploy wireless charging technology on residential streets and EB Charging will use data and technology solutions to increase the number of access points for charging, without requiring the installation of additional chargers.
Other projects include installing chargers in car parks to allow for mass charging at night and storage and advanced electronics delivering semi-rapid charging using a low power grid connection and minimising the need for costly substation upgrades.
The initial three-month feasibility studies have been completed and successful projects are moving onto the next stages of development.
The news comes on the one-year anniversary of the Road to Zero strategy, which the government says has driven a 60% increase in battery EV registrations this year, compared to the same period in 2018.
Future of Mobility Minister Michael Ellis said: “We’re charging up the transport revolution and investing in technologies to transform the experience for electric vehicle drivers.
“Ensuring the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles is reliable and innovative is encouraging more people to join the record numbers of ultra-low emission vehicle users already on UK roads.”
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) recently revealed the number of low emission cars sold in Britain has fallen for the first time in more than two years.
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