Midlands to Lead on Electric Vehicle Charge Point Deployment

 

A consortium of Midlands businesses and local authorities, led by Cenex, has secured up to £2.9 million of funding from the Government to support a £6.3 million programme to install more than 500 charge posts in high profile locations, including shopping centres and railway stations, across the East and West Midlands.

 

The first phase of the project (2011 to 2013) will see charge post deployment focused in three areas:

·         West Midlands: Coventry, Birmingham, Worcester

·         East Midlands: Three cities region of Leicester, Nottingham and Derby

·         East Midlands: Corby and Northampton

 

Lead partners in the project include Central Networks, E.ON’s distribution business, Birmingham City Council, Coventry City Council, Leicester City Council and Nottingham City Council. The project will be managed by Cenex and Central Technology Belt, with more than 50 organisations participating in the project.

 

The funding is part of wider efforts by the Government to switch motorists to electric vehicles. The Government’s strategy combines funding for infrastructure deployment with a ‘Plug-In-Car Grant’ of up to £5,000 per car for the new wave of electric vehicles to be launched in 2011. 

 

The Midlands competed with eleven other ‘second round’ bidders and was one of five bids selected to join three existing ‘plugged in places’.

 

Announcing the selection of the successful regions, Transport Secretary Philip Hammond said: "A few years ago, ultra-low emission cars with mass market appeal appeared just a pipe dream. Now they are a reality and we can have all the convenience of the car without the carbon that normally goes with it.  

 

"Government action to support affordable vehicles and more local charging points means we are on the threshold of an exciting green revolution - 2011 could be remembered as the year the electric car took off.

 

"The British public has in the past shown it's ready to embrace new technology and take practical steps to adopt a lifestyle kinder to the environment, so we could really be at the start of something big."

 

Robert Evans, CEO of Cenex, said, “We are very pleased to have led a successful bid against stiff competition from other regions. We are looking forward to working with businesses and local authorities across the Midlands to roll out charge posts to help support the first wave of electric vehicle sales.”

 

The other ‘Plugged in Places’ are London, Milton Keynes, the North East, Greater Manchester, East of England, Northern Ireland and Scotland.  

 

 

Cenex is the UK’s first Centre for Excellence for Low Carbon and Fuel Cell technologies. By encouraging the early market adoption of low carbon and fuel cell technologies in automotive applications, Cenex aims to assist the UK automotive supply chain to compete in global markets as well as showcase UK expertise to encourage inward investment.

 

Sue Glanville/Jo Gwaspari

Say Communications

Tel: +44 (0)20 8971 6400

 

Sandy Taylor

Kris Kowalewski

Tel: 0121 303 3621/87
Mob: 07920 750008

kris.kowalewski@birmingham.gov.uk
 

Andrew Stanbridge

Tel: 01886 833592

 

David Iles

Tel: 02476 831083

 

Christian Dezelu

Tel: 0116 296081

 

Ioan Reed-Aspley

Tel: 0115 98763383
Ioan.reed-aspley@nottinghamcity.gov.uk

Richard Moore

Tel: 01604 609393