SSE is working with the Isle of Wight Council and Hampshire County Council to install a new pay-per-use electric vehicle rapid charging point in Newport.
The scheme is part of a joint partnership using funding from the government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles and will see similar charge points installed in Hampshire and Oxfordshire.
The ‘rapid charge’ points are the fastest available and can charge a vehicle in as little as twenty minutes. It is expected that the new charge point in Newport’s Chapel Street should be ready for use in October.
SSE’s David Farr, Project Manager for Sustainable Transport, said: “We are delighted to be part of a project helping the Isle of Wight create a low carbon transport network providing a speedy charge point for electric vehicle drivers on the island.
“We look forward to installing more in the coming months across the Isle of Wight, Oxfordshire and Hampshire as the popularity of electric vehicles increases.”
Isle of Wight Councillor, Luisa Hillard, Executive member for sustainability, environment and public realm, added:
“With fossil fuels becoming more expensive, and with concerns regarding peak oil and climate change, electric-powered cars are becoming increasingly popular and affordable. It is therefore important that the Isle of Wight has accessible facilities where owners can charge their cars in a central location.
“This rapid charge point is another example of the council’s commitment to providing environmentally friendly schemes and facilities which promote low-carbon transport for our residents and visitors.”