eVolt UK has installed the latest versions of its electric vehicle rapid charging units to help Dundee City Council promote electric taxi use.

The company has installed four Raption 50kW Rapid Chargers and three 22kW eVolve chargers at a new hub at Aimer Square. The Rapid Chargers are capable of charging two vehicles simultaneously at full power in approximately 30 minutes.

This is the first of three rapid charging hubs to be introduced in Dundee in 2018 through the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) Go Ultra Low programme. Dundee City Council selected the locations based on commuter routes and also following a questionnaire sent to the city's taxi drivers asking where the hubs should be sited.

Fraser Crichton, transport officer at Dundee City Council, has been encouraged by the early usage of the units. He said: 'The Rapid Chargers have been in use at Aimer Square since the beginning of April and were used more than 700 times in the first 10 days by more than 100 different users. There are currently 94 pure electric taxis in use in Dundee and we hope to see more drivers make the transition.

'We have worked with eVolt for a number of years now and have found the products to be high-quality and extremely reliable. They have always provided us with excellent customer service and support'

A further two Rapid Chargers will be installed at Aimer Square later this year. The other two hubs will also be completed this year, with four Rapid Chargers and two eVolve chargers being installed at Queen Street car park and six Rapid Chargers and three eVolve chargers being installed on Prince's Street in the city centre.  

Justin Meyer, general manager of eVolt UK, said the company is pleased to be involved in the project in Dundee. He said: 'With more than 100 charge points, including the busiest Rapid Chargers in Scotland, Dundee is leading the way for EV.

'We are proud to be supporting the council's project to lower emissions and increase the number of EV taxis by providing highly reliable and efficient charging units for these hubs'