Jaguar has launched the I-Pace, its first electric car and one of the first electric SUV’s on the market. But future clients need also a charging infrastructure, not only a sporty SUV with a generous range.
In order to heal that anxiety, Jaguar Land Rover has installed 166 smart charging outlets for electric vehicles at its Gaydon engineering centre. The outlets are for use by employees to encourage uptake of electric vehicles – because research shows 40 per cent of electric car charging in Europe takes place at work.
Charging points will also be installed in the visitors’ car park, so guests can take advantage of convenient fast charging. This smart charging network is believed to be the largest single installation of its kind in the UK.
The 7kW AC smart charging stations, supplied by NewMotion (a Shell company), can add 22 miles of range to an all –electric Jaguar I-PACE every hour and 176 miles in total during an eight-hour day. The stations are cloud-connected and integrated with the NewMotion public charging network, so employees can charge at stations across Europe using a single card. Users can also monitor and track charging throughout the day with a smartphone app.
The charge points will offer both financial and environmental benefits for PHEV and BEV drivers alike, while providing a convenient and sustainable solution for employees who can’t charge at home.
Jaguar Land Rover sources 100 per cent renewable electricity – generated from natural resources including solar and wind energy – for its UK facilities, which will be used to power the infrastructure, providing carbon-free commuting to employees.
