Plans unveiled for Tesla EV charging station at Port Solent for 20 cars

The American company has applied to Portsmouth City Council for planning permission to install the infrastructure in the marina car park saying there was a shortage of charging facilities between Portsmouth and Southampton.

‘There is a lack of existing ultra-rapid supercharging infrastructure along the M27,’ a statement submitted with its application says. ‘The closest Tesla superchargers to the site are located 2km to the east at [Cosham] McDonald’s, however, there are only two available EV chargers at this site and they are often at full capacity.

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‘There is a lack of universally-compatible ultra-rapid EV chargers in this area to support ultra-low emissions vehicle traffic into Portsmouth and along the M27. Additional supercharging infrastructure, positioned strategically near to the M27 between Portsmouth and Southampton, is required.’

The company said it had made ‘a concerted effort’ to find a suitable site near the motorways that also provided facilities for drivers to use while their vehicles are charging.

Of the proposed charging points, 12 would be Tesla Superchargers with the remainder being universally compatible. Tesla says a supercharger can add 200 miles to one of its car’s range in 15 minutes.

‘Electric vehicle charging points are vital infrastructure to support the transition to electric vehicles,’ the statement adds. ‘A good supply and distribution of charging points is essential to encourage more drivers to purchase electric vehicles and use them on a day-to-day basis.

‘Specifically, locating charging points on main arterial route networks, where large numbers of people are often driving long distances, is necessary to ensure drivers are confident that they will be able to recharge vehicles when required.’

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The application, submitted by consultancy firm Enzygo Ltd on behalf of Tesla, was submitted earlier this month.

It said granting planning permission for the work would help meet both national and local targets for reducing carbon emissions.

The council has set a deadline of August 8 for reaching a decision.