THE ELECTRIC vehicle revolution is being sparked at a Rugby IT business.
Get Me Connected is preparing for the boom in electric cars by providing the communications infrastructure for a project to assess their impact on the National Grid.
The Electric Nation project is being run by Western Power Distribution to ensure there will be enough power for people to charge their electric vehicles at home.
Get Me Connected designed and manage the communications technology which makes the entire project function.
Chief executive Adam Steadman – who installed the first electric nation smart charge point in Rugby – said: “This has been an exciting time for Get Me Connected being able to provide solutions for such an innovative project.
“Electric vehicles are part of the future along with other energy storage and management solutions. The technology we have designed we help this and future smart grid projects whatever they may be.”
After visiting the company’s Somers Road premises, Rugby MP Mark Pawsey said: “The take up of electric vehicles has the potential to transform the UK by reducing emissions and allowing us to use much cleaner forms of electricity.
The Government is keen to promote the use of electric vehicles as part of the Road to Zero strategy and end the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040. However, this will mean a greater pressure on the electricity grid – some estimates suggest that there will be an increase in demand of 3 per cent when more electric vehicles are in use – and so projects like ‘Electric Nation’ which help energy companies prepare for this are vital.
“The Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Select Committee, of which I am a member, is in the process of conducting an inquiry into electric vehicles, the challenges they represent for the energy infrastructure and the actions needed to support the development of this market.
“It was incredibly interesting to speak to Adam about the work he and Get Me Connected are doing with Western Power Distribution to help the UK prepare for greater use of electric vehicles.”
