More hotels install EV chargers

Tuesday 08 January 2019

More restaurants and hotels around Guernsey are having electric car chargers installed, as a company looking to make the island the perfect place for EVs is working with them to set up a charging network.

Plug-N-Go says one of the main challenges facing electric vehicles at the moment is the lack of public charging, so they are aiming to fix that by building this network in Guernsey.

While range isn’t as much of an issue here as it is in the UK or France, there are still barriers to the uptake of electric cars. Plug N' Go says the lack of charging for drivers without off street parking is one setback, but with more public access charge points dotted around the island, they expect that the popularity of electric vehicles will increase.

"Charging stations at hotels, restaurants, etc. are good examples of "destination charging" - places where customers spend two or more hours. This is good for customers, as it offers a viable alternative to home charging in places that they would already spend time," a spokesperson said.

"It's good for the businesses, as it can bring in new customers that drive EVs and make the destination visible on platforms like ZapMap or Open Charge Map. It's also great for the environment, as more EVs on the roads means less pollution from petrol and diesel exhaust fumes."

Recently planning permission was applied for to allow chargers to be installed at the Doghouse and Cobo Bay. 

The network of destination chargers around Guernsey is growing. Bella Luce Hotel, Les Douvres, Hotel De Havelet and Fermain Valley Hotel already have EV chargers installed. Cobo Bay Hotel, the Farmhouse and the Doghouse are also preparing to install Plug-N-Go chargers, helping to expand the island’s EV infrastructure.

Tim Revill, Executive Chairman of Plug-N-Go, says there will be benefits to the island and its businesses: "Many hotel guests are tourists from UK: an increasing number visiting Guernsey with their electric vehicles, which are dependent on publicly available charging. When choosing a hotel, EV owners will inevitably pick one which offers EV charging facilities. It’s very similar to the introduction of guest wi-fi over the last few years. Let’s show how progressive Guernsey is!"

Peter Brock, 18, has done his own extensive research into why Guernsey is the ideal location for Electric Vehicles and the infrastructure that comes with them to become mainstream.

Previously, Plug N' Go made arguments as to why Guernsey is ideal for Electric Vehicles, and encouraged the States to look at bolstering supportive legislation. Peter Brock, an employee, said that misinformation surrounding EVs needed to be cleared up going forwards, so people could make properly informed choices about buying new cars.