Current± summarises the top electric vehicle (EV) stories from this week below – from a new Cornwall Insight report on EV charge point growth, to Zest’s latest charge point project and Piclo’s new flexibility project to ease grid constraint and benefit EV drivers.
UK EV charge points increased by 70% in the last year
A new report on EV country attractiveness by Cornwall Insight says that the UK now has one publicly accessible charge point for every 11.2 electric vehicles (EVs) on the road.
The report, the Electric Vehicle Country Attractiveness (EVCA) Index by Cornwall Insight and law firm Shoosmiths, shows that the UK has made significant progress, though it still ranks in the middle of the EVCA table, with sales of electric vehicles declining over the past quarter.
Jamie Maule, Research Analyst at Cornwall Insight, said: “The significant increase in public electric vehicle charging points in the UK signifies a positive stride towards an electrified transportation future. With each new charging point, we create an atmosphere that encourages the adoption of EVs and supports the nation’s collective vision of greener roads and a cleaner environment.”
We have partnered with law firm @Shoosmiths to create the Electric Vehicle Country Attractiveness (EVCA) Index.
— Cornwall Insight (@CornwallInsight) June 29, 2023
(1/4) pic.twitter.com/QoA6lojIlK
“Yet, as we celebrate this milestone, let us not overlook the electrifying revolution unfolding across Europe. The UK’s position in the EVCA Index calls for an even greater push. Our neighbouring nations are leading the charge, with Norway and the Netherlands becoming pioneers of progress, armed with extensive charging networks and forward-thinking policies to raise the sale of EVs. As these countries surge ahead, their actions inspire a sense of urgency across the continent, which we hope can turn Europe into a haven for electric mobility and leave a lasting mark on the future of transportation worldwide,” Maule added.
Data from Zapmap released in May revealed that the installation of EV chargers reached ‘unprecedented’ levels in March and April 2023, a net increase of 14% in new chargers since the beginning of 2023 and a 35% rise from the corresponding period last year.
Zest to open new EV infrastructure at Norwich shopping centre
Electric Vehicle (EV) chargepoint operator Zest has invested in new EV charging facilities at Chantry Place shopping centre in Norwich.
The company is building 16 charging bays at the Savills retail park which features 90 shops, cafés, and restaurants in Norwich city centre. Zest will operate and maintain the charge points.
The first eight charging points are already open at the site’s lower level car park, with eight more being build on the upper level. The charge points are 22kW fast chargers which add around 90 miles of range in an hour.
Zest has been building charge points at retail destinations including Metrocentre in the North East and Merry Hill in the West Midlands.
Zest has signed partnerships with Ryedale District Council in North Yorkshire, Sheffield-based A & S Leisure Group, Transport for London, the Banstead Wood Development in Surrey, and NFU Energy.
Robin Heap, Zest chief executive said: “We know that people just want to charge where they park as part of their normal routine. Retail destinations, like Chantry Place, that respond now to this demand are those that will thrive as new EV drivers establish their charging habits.”
Piclo begins flexibility services to manage grid constraints and benefit local EV chargers
Piclo, a marketplace provider for flexibility services, has completed its first flexibility transaction services for the National Grid ESO’s Local Constraint Market, helping to manage grid constraints.
The company said it was a world first for a national electricity network control room operator using a Cloud-based SaaS platform to procure and dispatch flexibility services.
The system will help to manage grid constraints – when peak wind energy flows have to be curtailed because of a lack of grid capacity – and divert extra power into local assets like EVs, battery storage systems and Scottish pumped hydro stations.
Local Constraint Market milestone update! 📣
— Piclo (@PicloEnergy) June 29, 2023
Piclo has successfully completed the first end-to-end transactions of flexibility services for the ESO’s (formerly National Grid ESO) Local Constraint Market (LCM).
Full press release 👉 https://t.co/wQdquNNY1n pic.twitter.com/K2OzrZArvn
“Rather than curtailing wind energy, which costs consumers money and hinders our net zero progress, households in Scotland were paid to turn-up their low carbon flex assets including heat pumps, EVs and electric heating,” the company said.
“Between 2021 and 2023, £1.5 billion was used to curtail over 6.5TWh of wind power, resulting in 2.5 million tonnes of emissions. Reducing the amount of renewable electricity which is curtailed is a key opportunity as the energy system transitions to low carbon,” Piclo added.
James Johnston, chief executive at Piclo said: “This is a momentous milestone for Piclo and the ESO. It is the first time the ESO’s control room has used a cloud based platform as part of their trading operations. This marks a turning point in the energy transition, where the introduction of a digital marketplace not only democratises access to flexibility markets by reducing barriers for participation but also facilitates a more efficient and streamlined operation of the electricity network. We start today with 3MW and our ambition is to grow to 30GW. This has been a massive boost to our mission to decarbonise the world’s grids.”
Be.EV to build £1 million EV charging hub at Manchester Water Park
Be.EV are making a splash in Sale 💦 COMING SOON – Be.EV chargers installed at Sale Waterpark! Whether you’re jet-skiing, wild swimming, or anything in between, you now have a place to charge!
— Be.EV (@BeEV_Charging) June 29, 2023
Keep up to date with our ever-growing charging network! ⬇️https://t.co/O2Xzb0fzOx pic.twitter.com/BW5zozAM0T
Be.EV have announced that they will build Manchester’s biggest ultra-rapid EV charging hub at Sale Water Park in Manchester.
The £1 million deal will allow 400 cars a day to charge at the site, which is close to the M60.
There will be 16 ultra-rapid charging bays at the 152-acre site, beginning in August. The project is part of Be.EV’s wider collaboration with Trafford Borough Council which has already created more than 41 charging points.
The ultra-rapid Kempower chargers will be able to charge cars from 20-80% battery in around 20 minutes.
“Kempower chargers can intelligently distribute energy supply between vehicles according to capacity and demand – meaning if one car reaches the maximum amount of power on one charger, any residual energy supply can be reassigned to another vehicle connected on-site,” the company said in a statement.
The 24-hour site will deliver 1.2MW of power across the 16 bays, and the company says it has the largest EV charging network in the North East, and has an operational availability rate of 99.6%.
The site will be owned by Trafford Council, with the council and Be.EV sharing the site’s profits.
Cllr Aidan Williams, Executive Member for Climate Change at Trafford Council, said: “Since the Council declared a climate emergency in 2018, we have committed to a range of activities in an effort to achieve zero carbon status for the borough as soon as possible.
“Becoming home to the largest ultra-rapid charging point in Greater Manchester shows how serious Trafford is about electric travel. Ensuring the charging infrastructure is in place is a key component in making electric vehicle use a viable option for people in the borough.”
