A partnership of Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) manufacturers have joined forces through the European Union’s TEN-T programme to create a multi-standard and inter-operable charging network through the United Kingdom and Ireland.

As well as helping to finance the €7+ million scheme, the consortium is providing other members of the project with the benefit of its extensive experience in the BEV field.

This is the first time leading BEV companies Renault, Nissan, BMW and Volkswagen have united to accelerate the growth of EV charging infrastructure, seen as a key enabler towards making zero-emission mobility a market reality. The project, managed by Zero Carbon Futures in North East England also draws on the network expertise of the ESB in Ireland, considered to be one of the foremost energy companies in the field and leader of a previous TEN-T project completed this summer, and Newcastle University.

When complete, the UK Rapid Charge Network (RCN) will comprise more than 70 multi standard rapid chargers covering some 1,100km of major trunk routes and providing EV-friendly links to five seaports and five international airports.

RCN will link major ports and cities including Stranraer, Liverpool, Holyhead, Birmingham, Felixstowe, Leeds and Kingston upon Hull while there will also be networks embracing Dublin and Belfast.

The UK RCN is part of the European Union-financed Trans European Transport Network (TEN-T) and represents a substantial partnership investment of €7,358,000, half of which is being funded by the EU.

The project is co-funded by the European Union’s TEN-T Programme, which aims to improve transport infrastructure across Europe and will run on the two of the European Union priority routes. It was among the 172 projects selected from the 2012 Call for funding which will help realise TEN-T network development and aid European Transport in moving to a more sustainable future.