The first public electric vehicle charging points have opened in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
Pod Point units capable of charging two vehicles simultaneously have come into service at National Park Authority car parks at Aysgarth Falls, Grassington and Hawes.
The ‘fast’-rated 7kw machines are compatible with all electric vehicles and are expected to be used by people looking to top-up their car battery. An hour of charge at the new points will add around 30 miles of range for a typical full-battery small electric car. The Pod Points are free to use for the first 15 minutes and thereafter the charge is 25p per kwh.
Electricity has been led to the Pod Points from the National Park Centres which are located next to the car parks. All centres are currently supplied with electricity generated from a mix of conventional and renewable energy sources, but contracts are currently being reviewed with a view to switching to 100% renewable electricity tariffs.
There are six other electric vehicle charging points in the Yorkshire Dales National Park listed on Zap Map: at a business near Sedbergh; at Stone House Hotel near Hawes; at two Cottage in the Dales holiday cottages in Bishopdale; at the Devonshire Fell Hotel in Burnsall and at the Devonshire Arms Hotel. These pioneering installations, however, are intended for use by customers rather than the general public.
Nick Cotton, Member Champion for Recreation Management at the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority, said: “A couple of years ago we began receiving correspondence from electric car users who said they could not visit the National Park because of a lack of charge points. The new Pod Point units at three of our more popular car parks should remedy that problem. We expect that people will continue to charge their electric vehicles to full overnight at home or at ‘rapid’ charging points at motorway service stations, and will use our charging points for a top-up.
“As conventional petrol and diesel cars are phased out as part of the government’s ‘Road to Zero Strategy’, we will be seeing ownership of electric vehicles increase and more electric vehicles in the National Park – and so it’s hoped the new charging points could be the first of many.”
Much needed start for visitors and residents, but extortionately priced and a bare minimum effort considering government capital grants can cover most of the installation cost.
25p per kwh is well over the ‘fast’ charge national average of 15p per kwh. Charging on a regular basis, this works out more expensive than Diesel per mile and not cost effective for residents to change to an EV.
Other local authorities such as York City Council offer free parking for EV Charging spaces at 15p per kwh for the electricity. This has been a huge success and significantly increased the proportion of electric vehicles in the city, with a further investment in charge points underway.
The National Park should install more ‘fast chargers, new ‘rapid’ chargers, reduce the day rate to 15p per kwh, reduce the night time rate even lower for residents and offer free parking for charging vehicles.
This will generate real results and not just a PR stunt. Without continued investment to keep up with the rest of the nation, the National Park runs the risk of becoming a ‘no go’ area for electric vehicles and only accessible to those who are polluting the environment when they travel.
7Kw is not a “fast charger”. It’s the slowest public charger you can get and is only capable of fully charging less than 3 cars in 24 hrs. This is not going to increase EV usage in the Dales.