Robert Llewellyn’s Fully Charged video about Electric Nation goes live

Robert Llewellyn has produced a Fully Charged video about Electric Nation which is now live…

Electric Nation is seeking to recruit 500-700 people buying or leasing new electric vehicles (including pure electric and plug-in hybrids) to take part in a trial to ensure the UK can charge electric vehicles at peak times as the numbers of EVs rise. For the first six months of the project (at least) the trial will only take place in certain geographical locations: the WPD network areas in the South West, South Wales, West & East Midlands. After six months the trial may broaden out to the rest of Britain if there are still places free. A free smart charger is available to people who have not previously taken advantage of the OLEV home charger grant. Find out more about eligibility and what the trial will involve.

The Fully Charged programme was filmed at the Cenex LCV2016 event at Millbrook Proving Ground in September.

The video features interviews with electric car manufacturers such as BMW and Nissan about current and future battery capacities and charge rates, as well as interviews with representatives from industry organisations such as the Advanced Propulsion Centre, the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership and the Office for Low Emission Vehicles in order to understand their views about the future of EVs.

Filming Fully Charged for Electric Nation

All the individuals interviewed supported the view that over the coming years there will be increasing numbers of electric vehicles on our roads, with larger battery capacities and faster charging times.

Charging a number of such vehicles in one area at peak times is likely to put a strain on some local electricity networks. This could result in significant investment being required to upgrade electricity cables to ensure there is sufficient capacity to charge a number of electric vehicles on a local network – often just to cover a short period of time when demand is high.

However, there is another alternative: Electric Nation is trialling a smart charging solution to allow the increased uptake of electric vehicles on local electricity networks without the cost or disruption involved in installing new infrastructure.

The project is seeking to recruit between 500 and 700 electric vehicle owners – including pure electric and plug-in hybrids – to take part in the largest trial of its kind. Trial participants will get a free smart charger installed to allow them to charge their vehicle at home. The project will collect data about vehicle charging and will manage the charging if required.

So if you’re buying or leasing a new electric vehicle, become part of the Electric Nation community. Initially the trial will take place in the Western Power Distribution network areas in the South West, South Wales, West & East Midlands.

Find out more by watching Robert’s video – which enjoyed 30,000 views within just 24 hours of going live.

Fully Charged has over 110,000 subscribers, and Robert has 134,000 followers on Twitter and over 330,000 followers on Google+. Best known to many as Kryten in Red Dwarf (series XII is currently underway), Robert has also presented Scrapheap Challenge, amongst other TV gigs.