Dorset Council is installing 44 new EV chargepoints at car parks around the county in partnership with Joju Charging.
The 22kW chargepoints, using 100% renewable energy supplied by Statkraft, will be ready to use in 18 council-owned sites from February 2021, enabling drivers to charge their vehicles while visiting the county’s towns.
To fully charge a Nissan Leaf 40kWh model, for example, would take less than two hours and cost about £12.50. Normal car parking charges will apply while the vehicle is charging.
Work at the sites is planned to start in January 2021, when SSE and Western Power Distribution will begin installing new electrical connections.
Joju Charging will begin installing the chargepoints in January and February, and once active, they will appear on Zap Map.
The installation and management costs of the chargepoints will be met by Joju Charging and their funding partners, Gronn Kontakt which is owned by Statkraft.
In return, Dorset Council will receive a profit share generated by each chargepoint for the next 15 years.
The council also plans to replace its five existing rapid chargers in spring 2021 and is looking at alternative ways to fund further sites that cannot be privately funded through the contract with Joju Charging.
Residents and businesses are also being encouraged to provide suggestions for locations of further charging points by completing an online form.
Chris Jardine, Technical Director at Joju Charging, said: “The Government has sent a clear signal with the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030 – the future of transport is electric.
“That means installing millions of EV chargers in homes, businesses and public places.”
