Talking Transport + Energy with REA and Elmtronics
Episode 2 of ‘Talking Transport + Energy’ sees professionals from the Association For Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA) and Elmtronics (Mer) brought together for a conversation about the Government’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, how to make EV charging a better experience, the changing role of grant funding, and how to ensure an equitable transition to EVs.
In each episode of ‘Talking Transport + Energy’, Editorial Director Alec Peachey invites experts from both sectors to discuss how they are working towards net zero.
In episode 2 we hear from the following professionals:
- Jacob Roberts, Transport Policy Manager at The Association For Renewable Energy and Clean Technology (REA), – whose Electric Vehicle (EV) member forum is working to grow the market for electric vehicles sustainably.
- Sara Sloman, Head of Future Mobility Partnerships at Elmtronics (Mer) – a company specialising in domestic, workplace, fleet and destination charging.
Speaking to Transport + Energy on the day the Government announced its Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, Jacob Roberts said: “A particularly important step is that £50m has been dedicated towards funding local charging officers within councils. £450m (the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund) is an immense amount of money for local authorities to try and mobilise in less than three years and I do worry slightly about that.”
Sara Sloman added: “What I really liked when I was delving through the strategy about all this money was that there’s a condition – local authorities are going to have to be more cohesive with the private sector. Public and private are going to have to work closer together to make sure that they’re not holding up the process. So just because there were old ways of working this isn’t allowed in this new process. So for me I feel that the electric vehicle charging landscape has never been in a stronger position. It has got the funding, its got the impetus, its got the urgency, its got the buy-in and its got the public perception. There’s nothing stopping us now.”
Watch or listen to the conversation between Jacob and Sara below:
You can watch episode 1 of ‘Talking Transport + Energy’ featuring Britishvolt and National Grid here.
If you are interested in forming part of a future episode of ‘Talking Transport + Energy’ contact Alec Peachey at alec@transportandenergy.com