The Government today announced the roll-out of a £30m fund for a network of electric vehicle hubs – called Plugged-In Places.
The project, lead by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), will see charging infrastructure appearing in:
- car parks
- major supermarkets
- leisure and retail centres
- local streets
The first Plugged-In Places were today named today as London, Milton Keynes and the North East; and between them they will be installing over 11,000 vehicle recharging points during the next three years.
A Plug-In Car grant was also announced. Motorists purchasing a new electric vehicle from January 2011 will be eligible for up to £5000.
Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis said:
“Decarbonising transport isn’t an aspiration – it’s a reality. By this time next year, cutting edge motorists will be on the roads with these next generation cars they’ve purchased because of our help.
“And thanks to the Plugged-In Places we will have in place infrastructure to support this growing early market.
“Transport has a huge part to play in helping the UK meet its stringent emission reduction targets and today’s announcement is another step on the road to putting the UK at the global forefront of ultra-low carbon vehicle development, manufacture and use.”
Business minister Pat McFadden said:
“Low Carbon vehicles are an important part of the broader shift to a low carbon economy.
“We have already committed £450m to delivering our ambitious vision of supporting suppliers of low carbon technology, encouraging demand from consumers and enabling lead UK cities and regions to switch on charging infrastructure.
“The Government is focusing on this sector as a priority and we are committed to helping British businesses take advantage of the growth potential and job opportunities this presents.”
Press notice
Read the Department for Transport press notice here.
Links
For more information about Plugged-In Places and the electric vehilce grant, see the OLEV website here.
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