Npower shines light on EV charging 26 | 10 | 2011

ENERGY COMPANY NPOWER is the latest to introduce a range of new products aimed at the growing number of electric vehicle owners, including charging points and an EV-focused energy tariff.

The company, which is keen to help extend the marketplace for electric vehicles across Scotland, will give customers the choice of three charging points.

The Easy Box is wall-mounted and aimed at domestic or small business use. Npower claims it can charge some vehicles at up to three-times the rate of a standard 13-amp socket.

The Smart Box charging point can charge certain EVs at up to six times the rate of a domestic socket and is intended for car park shopping centres and offices.

The price of installing your own charging point though isn't exactly cheap; Easy and Smart boxes will cost between £900-1000, including installation.

We test the electric Rolls-Royce 102EX in Edinburgh

Clearly though there are advantages for companies, businesses or councils which may operate a small fleet of EVs.

Taxi firms, for example, may well find the Smart Station an attractive consideration. Similar to the Smart Box, it's free-standing unit which can charge two EVs.

Including installation, it will cost around £4000; again, not cheap, but as the demand for EVs grows, and the social awareness increases, so too will the opportunity for EV-using companies to create an 'environmental' niche for themselves.

Npower is also working on a combi-station that can charge an EV at up to six or 12 times the speed of a domestic socket. It expects the product to go on sale in 2012.

Keep up-to-date with all the latest news by following us on twitter.com/scotcars

Jim McGill