South Derbyshire District Council has installed 16 new BP Chargemaster electric vehicle fast charging points at two of its car parks.
The fast chargers, where a battery can be charged in four to six hours, are located at its sites in Rink Drive, Swadlincote town centre; and Arnold Close in Castle Gresley.
Last year the council asked BP Chargemaster to assess all 16 of its car parks to find viable spots for EV charging points and these were the two the company identified as suitable.
Local residents can apply for a discount card through the chargeyourcar website.
There is a £20 yearly fee for the card, however, this provides access to a reduced tariff which currently saves 20p per kWh charge.
The district council also now offers a One Rapid Charge service – meaning a battery can be charged in 20 to 60 minutes – at its bus station car park in Swadlincote.
Provision of the new charging points is the latest initiative in South Derbyshire District Council’s bid to become carbon-neutral by 2030.
Councillor Steve Taylor, Chairman of South Derbyshire District Council’s Environmental and Development Services Committee said: “We are hoping these new charging points will encourage more local people to make the switch to an electric vehicle – especially residents who are not able to charge a vehicle at home.
“In addition to the environmental benefits of an electric car, the fuel cost savings are significant, and we are looking forward to the new charging points being in big demand.”
