Monday 11 November 2019

Test Valley announces new EV infrastructure upgrades

Test Valley Borough Council is to install 18 new electric vehicle (EV) charging points by the end of the month, with the help of a number of industry partners and businesses.

The new infrastructure will be spread across eight new car park locations in Andover and Romsey and will be able to provide a full charge for most vehicles between one and four hours.

Funded by a grant from the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and Swedish utility Vattenfall, the devices will be put into place by Joju Charging.

They will also be operated by Vattenfall, which will supply them with renewable electricity from its wind farms.

The move aims to kickstart decarbonisation in the region ahead of council plans to declare a climate emergency next month.

Planning and Transport Portfolio Holder, Councillor Nick Adams-King, said: “We have to make sure we are not just keeping up with change but trying our best to stay one step ahead.

"There is a growing number of electric vehicles driving in our borough and there is no reason why they shouldn’t be able to top up their charges at a number of our car parks."