Beaulieu 'Plugs In' To The Electric Revolution

BEAULIEU, UNITED KINGDOM – June 20, 2011: Beaulieu, home of the National Motor Museum, has become one of the first sites in Hampshire to join a new Government initiative that aims to encourage the uptake of electric vehicle technologies.

In the nationwide scheme which receives fifty per cent of its funding from government bodies, the Office of Low Emissions (OLEV), and the Technology Strategy Board (TSB), electric charging points are being installed at various locations throughout the UK in a bid to make electric vehicles convenient and accessible for everybody.

Many of the larger electricity companies throughout the UK are helping to sponsor this initiative, each helping to fund and install electric chargers in their own provider areas.

SSE Plc (previously Scottish & Southern Energy) is providing the other fifty per cent of the funding for the scheme in parts of Southern England and Scotland, and is responsible for helping with site planning and installation. They were present to help install the electric charging point at Beaulieu, which was seen as a very apt location due to its motoring heritage. Significantly, the National Motor Museum houses the 1901 Columbia Electric, one of the earliest examples of an electric vehicle.

David Farr, project manager in SSE’s Sustainable Transport Team, drove a prototype MINI E from Portsmouth to Beaulieu to help mark the occasion and to demonstrate the capabilities of today’s advanced electrical vehicles. He said of the scheme: “We have already installed 150 electric chargers at 75 sites in and around London, and we are currently working on the installation of another 45 chargers in the Hampshire area. Electric vehicles are the way forward, 75 per cent of vehicles do less than 100 miles per day, which electric vehicles can easily cover at a lower cost and with lower emissions. If you own an electric car, it really does become the car of choice.”

Stephen Munn, Commercial Director at Beaulieu Enterprises Ltd, added: “Beaulieu’s involvement in the scheme was a very straightforward decision. The National Motor Museum celebrates the evolution of the motor vehicle, so it is important for Beaulieu to lead the way in supporting and embracing new vehicle technologies, particularly ones with environmental and economical advantages.”

Situated in the attraction’s Coach Park, the new electric charger at Beaulieu, produced by manufacturer Chargemaster, has two plug-in points and is able to charge two vehicles simultaneously. This allows electric vehicle owners to conveniently recharge their batteries whilst visiting the Beaulieu attraction, which includes the National Motor Museum, home to several electric vehicles from various eras, World of Top Gear, the James Bond Experience, 13th century Beaulieu Abbey, and Palace House and gardens.