Electric vehicle charging points, such as this
one from Schneider Electric, are set to spread rapidly across the UK
Electric dreams A
With the number of electric vehicles on the UK’s roads steadily growing, the race is on to provide a network of charging points that will enable owners to get from A to B without running out of power. Rob Shepherd gets behind the wheel to find out how the EV sector is developing, and examines how the electrical contracting sector can benefit from it
lthough the electric vehicle (EV) is yet to be a common sight on the nation’s roads, the EV sector has witnessed promising levels of growth in the last couple of years. Billed as a clean, low carbon
alternative to conventional petrol and diesel models, the government believes that the use of EVs is a key component in achieving its environmental targets. All this bodes well for the electrical contracting sector, which stands to benefit from the installation of a network of charging points that will be necessary to make the successful transition to electric motoring. The Climate Change Act 2008 states that the UK must
cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, relative to 1990 levels. It has been estimated that 60 per cent of all miles driven in the UK will need to be electric to meet this target, and in 2011 the government launched its Plug-In Car Grant to encourage early adopters. The grant is still available, and although the numbers
of people taking the £5,000 on offer to buy an EV haven’t been as high as hoped, the scheme survived the spending review, and £43m – or enough for 8,600 cars – has been allocated until March 2012. Transport Secretary, Norman
52 ECA Today March 2012
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