Travel the electric highway: Free solar-powered charging points kickstart a green car revolution

• Electric vehicles will for the first time be able to travel anywhere in Britain

The world's first national motorway network of electric car-charging points opens across Britain today.

Free to use, the solar-powered 'top-up' stations are already at 12 Welcome Break services - with 17 more due to open by the end of September.

The move means electric vehicles will for the first time be able to travel anywhere in Britain.

World first: Transport Minister Mike Penning uses a solar-powered 'top-up' point at South Mimms service station in Hertfordshire. The points are already at 12 Welcome Break services in Britain - with 17 more due to open by the end of September

Previously, the main barrier for people wanting to buy electric cars was range anxiety, the restriction of only being able to drive within their own city.

Dale Vince, the founder of Ecotricity, the firm behind the network, said: 'Until now, charging posts have all been in city centres like London, but this is where you need them the least.

 

'Statistics show that it’s not in towns and cities where electric cars need to recharge, but on longer journeys between cities - and that means motorways.'

Each charging post will be powered with 100 per cent green energy made at Ecotricity’s wind and solar parks across Britain.

The posts will be located outside the main entrance, with two sockets that can be accessed by registering for a free swipecard.

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Newfound freedom: The move means electric vehicles will for the first time be able to travel anywhere in Britain

Electric car owners need to register for a swipecard with Ecotricity in order to use the service

Electric cars can top-up in just 20 minutes using rapid recharge points with a 32A supply or fully charge in two hours. Those using the slower 13A supply will be able to recharge fully if staying overnight at motorway service hotels.

Within 18 months all Welcome Break motorway services will have charging points.

Electric car drivers, and motorcycle riders, will then be able to drive from across Britain completely free and with vastly reduced emissions.

Mr Vince added: 'We’re creating the infrastructure to get Britain’s electric car revolution moving. This marks the beginning of the end for the old combustion engine.

'With world oil prices going through the roof, you’ll now be able to get around Britain using only the power of the wind. It costs 1p a mile in an electric vehicle, compared with 10p in a petrol car.' (Achmad Zaenudin Ali)