Three years to role out national network of charging points
Mar 19 2010 by Adrian Pearson, The Journal
THE UK has been told it has three years to role out the charging points planned for the North East across the rest of the country.
Nissan bosses celebrating the decision to bring electric car production to Sunderland have said a national network of charging points are needed to reassure would-be motorists and to ensure cars made in Wearside find a ready market.
The manufacturer wants to build more than 50,000 Leaf electric cars each year by 2013 after the Government handed it a £20m grant to refit the factory.
A £197m European Investment Bank loan will also be made available. Next month Nissan starts work on the new battery factory which together with the Leaf refit will see £420m invested in Wearside.
The car will go on sale in the UK in 2011 and Nissan Sunderland will start producing the car two years later.
Kevin Fitzpatrick, Nissan’s vice president of manufacturing for the UK, last night praised the region for the support and investment which convinced the Japanese car maker to choose Washington over Portugal.
He said: “Obviously we now need as many charging points as possible, and the education programmes to explain to the public the benefits associated with electric vehicles.
“I think the charging points we have seen so far are just the first step. It is very important that we have these charging points in place, and the fact that they are leading this, the local authorities and One North East, being so proactive on introducing these will be a big help.”
