Charge others to use your charging point
ELECTRIC CAR DRIVERS COULD ALSO RENT OUT VEHICLES
DERBYSHIRE electric vehicle (EV) drivers could soon be able to rent out charging points to other users under new plans.
Derbyshire County Council is teaming up with Cenex, an independent research consultancy, to develop plans for an online EV charging and car-sharing platform.
If the plans come to fruition, EV users across Derbyshire could rent out their own charging points. It will also allow drivers to rent out their cars when not using them, allowing for both greater mobility and an increased EV charging network.
The scheme has now been given a £100,000 funding boost from Midlands Connect, a sub-national research partnership which works with the Department for Transport, Highways England, and local authorities and businesses to propose plans to improve transport links in the region.
The money will be used to develop and trial the platform which could then draw further funding from the Government or private sector.
Councillor Tony King, cabinet member for clean growth and regeneration at Derbyshire County Council, said: “We welcome the support given by Midlands Connect in tackling rural connectivity, something that many counties across the Midlands are challenged with.
“Lower population density often leads to patchy public transport in rural areas and for people without access to a car, this can lead to isolation.
“The platform proposed by Cenex has the potential to change our residents’ lives – particularly those who do not have their own vehicle or share with other members of their household, as well as those considering switching to an electric vehicle.
“Whether it’s a student going to college, an elderly person attending a medical appointment, or someone just trying to get to work – this platform has the potential to do so much for Derbyshire residents and we are thankful for the opportunity given to us by Midlands Connect.
“We’re looking forward to developing the platform even further with Cenex until it is ready for roll-out.”
The scheme would firstly be rolled out to residents and businesses. It is hoped that tourists could also take advantage of the platform in due course.
Midlands Connect is the same body which is behind plans to improve the A50 across Derbyshire and Staffordshire. New plans proposed by the group could save drivers around 30 minutes a day commuting on the busy route, and have received strong backing from nearby residents and businesses.
Maria Machancoses, chief executive of Midlands Connect, said: “Poor transport connectivity can be a challenge for rural communities, with residents often experiencing worse access to amenities and services such as schools, workplaces or hospitals. Our rural mobility competition was created to address these challenges and create innovative solutions that would enhance transport connectivity in isolated communities.
“All our finalists for the rural mobility competition produced innovative solutions to tackle rural mobility – picking one winner was very challenging.
“We would like to congratulate our competition winner, Cenex, and look forward to seeing the idea developed in further detail.”