Birmingham to roll out EV rapid charging network

10/08/2020

Birmingham City Council will start its roll out of an initial network of 394 fast and rapid electric vehicle chargers this month.

The new charge points will be added over the next two years and powered by renewable energy.

Birmingham’s rapid charging network is being supported through £2.92 million in funding from the Office of Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and the council’s newly-procured Electric Vehicle (EV) Network Development Partner, ESB EV Solutions.

The new project will help support taxi operators make the switch to EVs, but the new charge points will also be made available to the general public and local businesses.

Birmingham City Council will work with ESB EV Solutions to develop and deliver a complete charging strategy for the next 12 years.

This will set-out plans for a city-wide EV charging system, focused on meeting the specific needs of all communities throughout Birmingham.

The electric vehicle charge point locations will be chosen based on an assessment of predicted local demand, to ensure that the charge points provide maximum benefit to EV drivers.

Councillor Waseem Zaffar, Birmingham City Council’s cabinet member for transport and the environment, said: “This is huge news for our city, and a major step in supporting our climate emergency commitment to cut carbon emissions.

“What’s more, it will be a key driver in supporting the electrification of Birmingham’s taxi fleet which is a major step in us improving air quality in the city centre.”

Watch now: Connecting Policy To Solutions Virtual Conference 2021

Smart Transport Conference returned on June 8th & 9th, to facilitate pivotal discussions on the future of transport.

The UK’s most senior public and private sector transport leaders discussed the impact of Covid-19, achieving the Government’s decarbonisation ambitions, the need for more efficient living and better health, and much more.

Keynote speakers included:

Kwasi Kwarteng, secretary of state at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), who spoke on BEIS's approach to decarbonising transport, particularly the electrification of the vehicle industry

Keith Williams, co-author of the Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail, who spoke on rail’s role in integrated transport, decarbonisation and innovation.

Rachel Maclean, parliamentary under-secretary of state at the Department for Transport, who discussed the future of transport and its pivotal role in a ‘green recovery’ from the pandemic.

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