Chargepoint operator (CPO) Zest has unveiled 78 new electric vehicle (EV) charging spaces at the University of Warwick.
The installation includes both fast and rapid EV chargers, which are spread across multiple car parks at the university, which is noted for its excellence in transport and future mobility research. The news follows an announcement in May that Zest would be partnering with the university for 15 years and investing £1.3 million into EV charging on campus.
George Saxon, head of transport systems and operations at the University of Warwick, said the university was “delighted” to partner with Zest, adding: “By creating these charging spaces, we are not only enhancing the convenience for our staff, students, and visitors but also supporting the wider shift towards cleaner mobility in the region.”
Robin Heap, CEO at Zest, noted: “Providing abundant charging facilities ahead of demand encourages more people to make the switch to EVs, so Zest is proud to be supporting the University of Warwick as it looks to reduce carbon emissions generated from all forms of transport.”
Chargepoint availability critically important to the EV revolution
With the uptake of EVs rising, and the UK government’s ban on new fossil fuel powered vehicles looming ever closer, making sure there are sufficient available EV chargepoints to meet demand is vital.
New data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has shown that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were the only type of car seeing a rise in uptake in October, with the rest of the automotive industry declining in sales. October saw registrations of BEVs grow by 24.5% year-on-year, reaching a 20.7% market share, while petrol and diesel vehicles declined by 14.2% and 20.5%, respectively.
Research from Lloyds Banking Group has found that a perceived lack of chargepoint availability prevents as many as 52% of prospective EV drivers from making the switch to an EV. As such, the UK government has set ambitious targets for chargepoint installation, aiming to have 300,000 publicly available EV chargepoints by the end of 2030. Private CPOs have been working to plug the gap here; in Warwick, CPO RAW Charging recently announced the installation of six new chargepoints at Warwick Castle.
Zest has also been working with local authorities to increase the number of publicly available EV chargepoints. In August, the company announced that it had partnered with Warrington Borough Council to increase local residents’ access to EV chargepoints, with Zest installing 150 chargepoints in 35 streets across Warrington.
