Electric Nation on BBC Radio 5 Live

Gill Nowell from EA Technology and the Electric Nation project took part in today’s BBC Radio 5 live Breakfast Show about electric vehicles. Rachel Burden presented the programme, which included what is best described as an interesting range of views about EVs. The headline issue being discussed was “What would make you convert from petrol or diesel to electric?”

The backdrop to the debate was that sales of diesel cars are declining, whilst sales of hybrids and electric vehicles are on the increase. One guest on the phone-in show had an electric Nissan LEAF, which she was absolutely delighted with. Another participant was very vocal about his perceived issues with electric vehicles – who was presumably selected for the programme due to the BBC’s desire for balance.

Gill explained that EA Technology had worked with almost 1,000 electric vehicle drivers through the My Electric Avenue and Electric Nation projects, with the overwhelming feedback reflecting a very high level of satisfaction with electric vehicles.

A question for the show’s ‘panel’ from a listener was about charging EVs on local electricity networks, which allowed Gill to explain about the potential demand challenge around peak times, and how Electric Nation is trialling a smart charging solution. Gill also commented on the situation regarding power generation from a national perspective, stressing the increasing proportion of UK generation that is coming from renewable energy.

You can listen to Gill on the Radio 5 live Breakfast show here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b09czr59

Please note that the link is only live for 30 days, so you’d better be quick!

Later the very same day, Electric Nation’s Mark Dale was also interviewed for Radio Wales.

You can read a summary about the EV challenge for local electricity networks, and the potential solution being trialled by the Electric Nation project, in this month’s Energy World magazine, see: http://www.electricnation.org.uk/2017/11/01/electric-nation-featured-in-energy-world/

In a very busy week for promotion of the project, Electric Nation is also being presented at the 2017 UN Climate Change Conference (COP23) in Bonn on Thursday 9 November, within the UK Pavilion; find out more at http://www.electricnation.org.uk/2017/11/02/electric-nation-to-present-at-the-2017-un-climate-change-conference/