Minister for Employment,Skills,Small and Family Business Michaelia Cash.Credit:Alex Ellinghausen
Sitting in a London pub earlier this month,Char.gy’s founder and chief executive Richard Stobart is far too polite to discuss the comment directly,but he does say that any politician who argues that electric vehicles are not a viable and crucial technology is doing so for political rather than practical reasons.
Char.gy is one of a raft of companies in the UK thriving due to the rapid uptake of electric vehicles. The industry is thriving with the support of the UK government,which sees the electrification of transport linked to large-scale renewable energy as crucial in its efforts to cut carbon emissions,and the London government,which is seeking to reduce pollution in the city.
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Mr Stobart founded his company when he found he could not buy an electric vehicle because he lived in a flat and had nowhere to charge it. Surely,he thought,it should not be too hard to put a charge point on the post of a street light? In fact,he discovered,such an apparently simple solution presented complex regulatory and technical challenges. Once he proved the technology,Char.gy was embraced UK governments. Mr Stobard installed his first street charging point in November last year and has since installed 300 more. Over the next five years 9000 more will be installed,with subscribers paying about £40 ($72) a month to charge their cars. Char.gy is in talks to introduce the technology to parts of India and the US.
According to Mr Stobard,many of the points are used by London’s distinctive black cabs,10 per cent of which – about 2000 vehicles – are now hybrid. The hybrid cabs look much like the traditional version,but are roomier,travel silently and feature Wi-Fi,USB charging points and dramatic clear roofs. Its batteries can be topped up to 80 per cent capacity in 25 minutes,and a full charge gives an electric-only range of 130 kilometres – about two-thirds of the 190 kilometres a typical cabbie drives in a day. Its petrol engine is used only to extend the range of its batteries.
One owner-driver,John Dowd,said the cab saved him about £120 a week in fuel. At £57,000 the vehicles are more expensive than the diesel model,but attract a £7500 subsidy. Mr Dowd said his savings almost negate his repayments.
The battery also gives him free access to the new Ultra Low Emission Zone that has been established in central London,which effectively penalises all internal combustion vehicle movements within its boundary.