Improved EV charging network launches in Bristol

Revive, a new council-owned public EV charging network in the West of England, has launched to coincide with the opening of the region’s first electric vehicle charging hub.

Revive will serve EV drivers in Bristol, Bath and North East Somerset, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset, and is funded by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, which awarded the four West of England authorities £7.1 million as part of the Go Ultra Low West programme, aiming to promote the uptake of EVs, including plug-in hybrids, across the region.

The charging hub in Eastville Park is the first of four planned for the region, each housing four to eight rapid-charge connections that can charge an EV up to 80 per cent from 30 minutes’ charging. Under existing plans, the four local authorities will install an additional 120 new or replacement charge point connections across the region over the next year, the majority of these new charge points will be supplied with 100 per cent renewable energy provided by Bristol Energy, Bristol City Council’s own energy supply company.

Kye Dudd, cabinet member for Transport at Bristol City Council, said: “Revive will provide us with a critical service for residents and visitors - reliable EV charging. The improvements will make it easier for more people to use electric vehicles, by providing more charge points across the West of England and a simplified payment system.

“Revive contributes to our One City vision of improving sustainable transport options for Bristol, alongside electric car clubs, electric freight deliveries, more electric vans in council fleets and electric taxis. Electric vehicles also help us improve air quality in Bristol, as they do not produce tailpipe emissions when running. Enabling more people to switch to clean electric vehicles is one of our key strategies for addressing the climate emergency and delivering a carbon neutral Bristol by 2030.”