Officially launched on 25 April, the Clepington Road EV Charging Oasis comprises five rapid 50kW chargers and a single 150kW ultra rapid charger, adding another 12 charge points to the city’s public charging provision.
A collaborative project with SWARCO Smart Charging, the new hub is designed with accessibility in mind.
Justin Meyer, managing director of SWARCO Smart Charging, said: ‘Accessibility is not negotiable. EV bays must be designed with maximum accessibility but there is still a serious lack of formal guidance and regulation to ensure that public charging is accessible to all EV drivers.
‘There are many factors that dictate how accessible an EV charging location is, from the physical space and hardware to all elements of the user experience, which means there are many potential barriers.
‘We recognise that more needs to be done to achieve fairness and inclusivity, so our aim is to remove as many of those potential barriers as possible particularly when it comes to wheelchair access, which is why we have been collaborating with experts on this issue.’
Accessibility measures include longer cables to allow for wheelchair access vehicles, as well as level access from the parking bay to the charge point. Wheel stops also prevent vehicles from encroaching on the space between the front of the bays and the chargers.
The Clepington Road EV Charging Oasis has also incorporated a number of low-carbon and sustainable technologies, such as solar panels and rainwater harvesting technology, to provide clean energy and water to the site.
Funding for the Clepington Road EV Charging Oasis came from ERDF (European Regional Development Fund), OZEV (Office for Zero Emission Vehicles), Transport Scotland, and Dundee City Council.
Mark Flynn, convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee, said: ‘To maintain momentum and retain the class-leading position the city is already in we are increasingly replacing obsolete and outmoded fossil-fuel vehicles in our own fleet with electric vehicles of all shapes and sizes. A key part of that is of course ensuring that we have the charging network in place to keep up with the greater demand.
‘This new hub, as well as others coming on stream in the city, will keep Dundee at the forefront of low and zero emission vehicle use and innovative technology which benefits us all by delivering cleaner air for the city.’
