Bullring unveils first public power points for electric cars in Birmingham

• Jun. 3 by Claire Latham (0)

Today saw the unveiling of Birmingham’s first public electric car charging points, in the latest stage of a government-supported eco-vehicle trial in the West Midlands. 

The four charging points are the first of 36, which will be spread across Birmingham and Coventry as part of the CABLED project, where 110 vehicles are being tested by users across two cities.

The free charging points are housed in a specially designed parking bay on level one of Bullring’s Moor Street car park offering easy access to the centre via the Selfridges bridge link.

Charles Bradshaw-Smith, Head of Innovation at E.ON – and himself a participant in the CABLED project – said:

“It’s great that we’ve navigated to the second stage of this project bringing low carbon motoring to the streets of Britain’s own Motor City.

“We’ve got charging points right in the centre of Birmingham where they’ll be of most use to drivers. Electric cars are perfect for short commutes to work and for shopping trips to town – and we’re proud that by being the energy behind these charging points we’re making eco-driving even easier.

“In the next few weeks we’ll be rolling out more charging points in Birmingham and Coventry that will become part of a developing national network.”

Tim Walley, General Manager at Bullring, commented:

 “As the first location in Birmingham to offer electric vehicle car charging points, Bullring is helping to make eco-driving much easier and accessible to the public. It’s good to be part of what will soon be a national network ensuring that the number of electric vehicle drivers continues to rise.”

Cllr Timothy Huxtable, Cabinet Member for Transportation and Regeneration at Birmingham City Council, said:

 “This is a major landmark moment in the development of electric vehicle technologies in the city, it shows that the CABLED consortium means business and is the first step to a greater expansion throughout the city.”

 During the trial, a total of 340 vehicles will be tested across the UK, with 110 of those based in Birmingham and Coventry. The aim of the project is to find out how the cars are used – and when they need charging – to get a better idea of the driver’s experience of electrical cars.