It is often said that the only constant thing in the world is change and, in the world of electric vehicles, that is certainly true.
It feels as though every month brings news of new models coming out, as manufacturers recognise, and respond to, the rising demand for more eco-friendly methods of transport.
And, of course, as the range of vehicles on the market increases and EV ownership continues to soar, so the infrastructure behind these cars develops.
This is why JE has invested significant time, money and resources this year, evolving our Evolve public charging network which is now nearing completion.
Over the past month, our engineers have been hard at work upgrading each of the 100-plus charge points on the network, not only to ensure that the infrastructure is fit for both today and the future, but also to give motorists an enhanced experience.
The word upgrade is significant. The original charge points have not been replaced like-for-like. Instead, JE has partnered with a new software provider which, in addition to the 100-plus charge points in Jersey, operates over 75,000 charge points in more than 35 countries.
This is significant, as it enables Islanders to benefit from the company’s extensive expertise and experience in this area. It also means that when people take their car off the Island, they can do so with the extra confidence that comes from knowing that this partnership offers roaming services not just in the UK and France but also further afield.
On a day-to-day basis, though, motorists will notice a number of changes when they charge their vehicle. The good news is that the new system is simpler and more reliable than the previous network, with an app which is easy to use.
Customers – both new users and customers of the original Evolve network – just need to register, select a charge point and swipe to charge their vehicle. It really is as simple as that.
The system also gives you a lot more information to help you monitor your usage of the network. You can get a real-time view of how much power you are taking and how much that costs.
Reassuringly for anyone thinking about switching to an EV but unsure about the capacity on the existing network, the changes made this year have been implemented in such a way that caters for increased demand in the future.
This is critical to JE’s approach of inspiring a zero-carbon future and to working on initiatives – such as the Evolve network – which support both the government’s Carbon Neutral Roadmap and Islanders’ own wishes to live more sustainably.
There are currently more than 300 people signed up to the Evolve network and we fully expect this number to rise significantly over the next few years.
It is therefore vital that if we are to fulfil our mission of ‘delivering life’s essentials’, we are proactive in this area, so that people can invest in an EV knowing that the infrastructure to support their purchase is in place. Work on the fast chargers is now nearly complete, and we will then start work on the rapid chargers, followed by the ultra-rapid facilities. Excitingly, the new technology will enable two vehicles to use a rapid charger at the same time, doubling the current availability.
We are also planning to install more 150kw ultra-rapid chargers in the near future, which really underpins our confidence in the future of EVs.
Anyone new to the network or wanting to find out more can go to evolve.je, where there is lots of information about the rollout plan and also a guide to setting up your account.
JE has also just launched a Facebook page – Evolve EV Community – which is a brilliant forum for positive discussion, engagement and insightful input. By creating this EV community, we hope that anyone new to EVs will be able to benefit from the experience of those who use the network regularly.
