Battery Vehicle Society

Kevin Sharpe wrote:

ChrisB wrote:Excellent news, I'm currently working on a large council based scheme so understand all the "politics and bureaucracy"

Yep, councils are a lot of fun... I'm trying to get a local town council to install a single charge point and that's all ready taken almost a year with no sign yet of real progress.....

They can be fun A lot of the issue's I'm finding is just lack of understanding of numbers of EV's, cost of electricity that an EV is likely to use etc etc
Generally once the fears and myths are removed things progress quite well, also going after the right dept helps.
Current climate isnt helping mind you, theres almost zero money about now in council land
ChrisB

Kevin Sharpe wrote:I hope to deploy a number of charging points in the UK. I will cover the cost of the equipment and installation (my brothers electrical installation company will install them at cost). The intension is that these charging points will be free to use for the EV community.

I intend to deploy two units similar to caravan or boat hook ups... one with a 16A and 32A commando socket fitted, and one with a 16A and 63A commando socket. The higher power unit will be reserved for commercial locations.

Please let me have your comments....

Great to hear about this Kevin.

If you are a member of the Society, perhaps you have read our document giving advice about installing charging points? ( In the members' section of the forum here: viewtopic.php?f=41&t=2318 )

If you felt like putting pen to paper, or should I say hand to keyboard, to tell people what sort of sites you are willing to consider for installing the points, and how people apply to have their site considered, then I am sure our magazine editor would print it, and it would be good to have all the info up on this forum too.

Mary.

SaintMaryUK wrote:If you are a member of the Society, perhaps you have read our document giving advice about installing charging points? ( In the members' section of the forum here: viewtopic.php?f=41&t=2318 )

I'm a BVS member and have read both documents, thanks. I agree with much of what the documents contain including the need to deploy low cost charge points.

SaintMaryUK wrote:If you felt like putting pen to paper, or should I say hand to keyboard, to tell people what sort of sites you are willing to consider for installing the points, and how people apply to have their site considered, then I am sure our magazine editor would print it, and it would be good to have all the info up on this forum too.

I'm still pulling the strands of this project together and hope to publish a website in the near future. I expect to announce the first 5 locations for the high power (16A/63A) points very soon. I will also write up something for the BVS magazine as this becomes 'real'.

Wow - excellent work Kevin !
Keep up the good work.

A couple of points for thought

a) It sounds like you may have some comment on the BVS's EV Charging Point Recommendations Installation Guide. There was always a plan to re-issue this document and it sounds like this might be a good time to review the document. We would very much appreciate your input.

Certainly one item which is out of date is

There is currently a 50% grant available for the installation of publicly accessible charging points.
Many organisations choose to perform low-cost installations without grant assistance, due to the administrative cost involved not seeming worthwhile for such cheap installations. However, grants are available from The Department for Transport who fund the Infrastructure Grant Programme. Please visit http://www.cenex.co.uk/igp_index.asp for more information. Alternatively you can call or email: 01509 635750 or IGP@cenex.co.uk

as it closed on 31 Mar 2010

b) I have started a consultancy company with another person helping companies assess and plan deployment of sustainable technology and specialising in electric vehicles. If you want I will certainly bear you in mind when suggesting suppliers.

c) Do you have an electric vehicle yourself ?

Kevin Sharpe wrote: I'm still pulling the strands of this project together and hope to publish a website in the near future. I expect to announce the first 5 locations for the high power (16A/63A) points very soon. I will also write up something for the BVS magazine as this becomes 'real'.

Excellent, thanks!

If you can get something to Brian (the mag editor) by 15th September, then it can go in the issue that comes out in the first week of October.

Mary.

arsharpe wrote:
c) Do you have an electric vehicle yourself ?

I think he does have one Rob

ChrisB

arsharpe wrote:a) It sounds like you may have some comment on the BVS's [url="http://www.batteryvehiclesociety.org.uk/forums/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=2318"]EV Charging Point Recommendations Installation Guide[/url]. There was always a plan to re-issue this document and it sounds like this might be a good time to review the document. We would very much appreciate your input.

I would be very happy to contribute to this process...

arsharpe wrote:Certainly one item which is out of date is

There is currently a 50% grant available for the installation of publicly accessible charging points.
Many organisations choose to perform low-cost installations without grant assistance, due to the administrative cost involved not seeming worthwhile for such cheap installations. However, grants are available from The Department for Transport who fund the Infrastructure Grant Programme. Please visit http://www.cenex.co.uk/igp_index.asp for more information. Alternatively you can call or email: 01509 635750 or IGP@cenex.co.uk

as it closed on 31 Mar 2010

This is so typical of the government funding process and the reason why I intend to finance some of this myself... obviously, as the project grows I hope we will attract sponsorship from companies and individuals to help cover the costs. I see this almost as a viral exercise.... initially tapping into the goodwill of EV enthusiasts.... anything that will deliver a practical, low cost network, with the minimum of delay. I really want the next wave of mass market EV's to be a resounding success... I don't want to see a mass of press based on stranded motorists (I should also say that I regularly undertake a ~200 mile round trip and really need access to fast charge points so that I can travel anywhere in the UK and beyond)

arsharpe wrote:b) I have started a consultancy company with another person helping companies assess and plan deployment of sustainable technology and specialising in electric vehicles. If you want I will certainly bear you in mind when suggesting suppliers.

Thanks, we are happy to talk to anyone about charge points. However, I'm not planning this as a commercial enterprise and simply want to 'prime the pump' with the first hundred or so charge points. Some of my colleagues are more interested in the commercial aspects of the 'fast charge' sites (=>63A) and I can see an opportunity in that space for creating a national network.

arsharpe wrote:c) Do you have an electric vehicle yourself ?

Tesla Roadster Sport

Kevin Sharpe wrote:

timpootle wrote:I guess you are aware of Tim Nicklin's EV network?

Yes, I'm aware of Tim's project and actually use the "EV Charger Finder" iPhone app that includes his database. I will ensure that the charge points we install are listed on the site as they go live...

Does anyone know how to reach Tim Nicklin? I've reached out a couple of times but had no response so far...

I'm sure he's a member here but cant for the life of me remember his user name

It might come to me later unless anyone else can remember

ChrisB

Would you believe his username is Tim?

Tim@EV-Network.org.uk usually works. Maybe he's on holiday?