New Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure coming to the North East for taxis & private hire cars

Traffic technology group, Swarco, has announced a new link-up with Transport North East to install rapid charging points for taxis and private hire vehicles.

The Swarco EV charging network will involve ten new rapid chargers across the North East, thanks to funding from the Government’s Ultra Low Emissions Taxi Infrastructure Scheme.

The ten new eVolt 50kW rapid charging stations will be for the use of taxis and private hire vehicles and will be supplied with 100% renewable energy.

Swarco has been working with Transport North East to identify the best locations to install the rapid chargers. They have mapped the infrastructure to key locations, selecting land that is owned by the local authorities, either within car parks or on streets.

Justin Meyer, General Manager of Swarco eVolt, said: ”While we are very pleased to see the SWARCO E.Connect network grow with more and more public and private sector organisations adopting our eVolt charge points, we are also using our knowledge and expertise to help give drivers the confidence to switch.

“We want them to know that the infrastructure is being installed to make the switch viable today, rather than being something to delay until regulations force them to change their vehicle sometime in the future.”

Cllr Martin Gannon, leader of Gateshead Council and chair of the North East Joint Transport Committee, said: “We are looking forward to this investment being made to ensure that taxi and private hire drivers will always have access to reliable charging when they need it.

“This is particularly relevant given the air quality challenges we face in the region together with the drive to decarbonise the transport network. We have examples of taxi and private hire fleets transitioning exclusively to electric vehicles and as the rapid chargers are added to the local infrastructure, we hope more will follow.”