Swarco eVolt installs rapid chargers for e-taxis in Kent

In the UK, Swarco eVolt is installing 14 rapid chargers to sites in Kent for registered taxis and private hire vehicles, The chargers should support the local authority’s clean strategy and further encourage the uptake of electric vehicles.

Kent Country Council was recently awarded funding through the Ultra-Low Emission Taxi Infrastructure Scheme, which has allowed Swarco eVolt to install the 50kW EV Rapid chargers. The rapid chargers are already being installed across six different districts and should be completed by the end of the year.

The stations being installed and maintained by Swarco each have two charging points, enabling the simultaneous charging of two vehicles. Initially, one point will be for the exclusive use of taxis and the other will be accessible to the public. That being said, Swarco says that the uptake of electric taxis and usage data will be constantly monitored and reviewed so that if it is deemed necessary, the second point can also be restricted to exclusively serve taxis.

Taxi and private hire drivers currently have access to the public networks, but the additional points will boost the charging infrastructure available to them. Some Districts are also considering incentives appropriate to the individual sites in order to encourage drivers to switch to electric cars.

Justin Meyer, General Manager of SWARCO eVolt explains that, “Some of the individual districts within Kent have given careful consideration into how best to incentivise taxi and private hire drivers depending on the type of district they are, and how taxis generally operate within that district. We are confident that it will prove to be successful.”

Source: information via email