Monday 26 November 2018

West Yorkshire to plug in 88 EV rapid charging points

At least 88 new, free rapid charging points are to be rolled out for electric vehicles (EVs) across West Yorkshire in the new year.

West Yorkshire Combined Authority secured almost £2 million for the project from the government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) as part of its efforts to improve air quality.

It has appointed French utility ENGIE to install and operate the charging points, which will provide 100% renewable electricity.

Each charging point will have two charging bays – one specifically for taxis and private hire vehicles, which will be able to reserve time slots and the other will be for all other users.

They will provide a full charge in around 20 to 30 minutes on average and will be free to use until late October 2021.

Cllr Kim Groves, Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Committee said: “Improving air quality across West Yorkshire and Leeds City Region while at the same time developing the transport networks vital to supporting inclusive growth is one of the Combined Authority’s key aims and this work will help us achieve that.

“Installing new charging points at these 88 sites, where people can charge their vehicles for free, is designed to encourage the transfer to electric vehicles. Making half the bays exclusively for the use of taxis and private hire vehicles could result in up to 500 diesel taxis and private hire vehicles being converted to hybrid and pure electric versions by 2020, which would reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions from taxis by as much as 18%, in line with our target of developing Clean Energy and Environmental Resilience for Leeds City Region.”