Bristol-based ICU Charging Equipment is to take part in the world’s largest trial of smart charging for or electric vehicles.
The Electric Nation project, which was officially launched on Wednesday, aims to boost the number of electric vehicles on Britain’s roads while avoiding the cost and disruption of upgrading local electricity networks. 
Netherlands headquartered ICU Charging Equipment, which makes charging points for electric vehicles, recently opened its UK base in Bristol. It has been selected for the Electric Nation project to iron out problems between domestic charge points and the local electricity network.
Sales of electric vehicles in the UK are rising, with an increasing range of models boasting larger batteries and faster charging times – all of which is helping to reduce emissions and to lower running costs for owners.
But issues still remain over the charging points – from their locations to the electricity required to power them.
Bristol is among the UK’s lead cities for electric vehicles with charging points in many public car parks – but some electric car drivers have faced regular problems due to power failures at these sites.
Electric Nation aims to revolutionise domestic plug-in vehicle charging.
It wants between 500 and 700 plug-in vehicle drivers to take part in trials and answer the challenge that, as electric vehicles usage grows, local electricity networks will increasingly require intervention or potentially face black-outs.
By using smart technology, rather than digging up the roads to install new cables, it predicts a saving of around £2.2bn by 2050.
ICU UK country manager Alex Earl said: “We are very proud to have been selected to supply chargers for the Electric Nation project.
“ICU has over eight years’ experience of building reliable, intelligent charge points for electric vehicles, including working with energy companies to ensure available power capacity can be optimised for EV charging, so it was a natural fit.
“Being based in Bristol, we’re also very excited that Bristol, Bath and the surrounding area will be a key focus area for the project.
“Having recently secured funding from central government to roll out electric vehicle infrastructure, the region has already positioned itself as spearheading the transition to low-emission, hi-tech mobility. Now the people in the region have a chance to participate too.”
Electric Nation is the customer-facing brand of CarConnect, a Western Power Distribution (WPD) and Network Innovation Allowance-funded project. WPD’s collaboration partners in the project are EA Technology, DriveElectric, Lucy Electric GridKey and TRL.
Motorists buying or leasing a new electric vehicle are invited to become part of the Electric Nation community and have a charger installed at home for free.
Initially the trial will take place in certain geographical locations, the WPD network areas in the South West, South Wales, West & East Midlands.
ICU Charging Equipment will be working with charge point operator Greenflux to enable charging speeds to be varied instantaneously via the Open Smart Charging Protocol.
Pictured: Above, an ICU charging point in use. Below, electric vehicles users are being invited to take part in the trial
