More vehicle charging points for customers at the Galleries in Washington

Up to eight electrical vehicles will be able to plug in at any one time. The charging points are in the Galleries car park nearest to the McDonalds and JD Sports entrance.

To begin charging their vehicles, EV drivers need only to drive up to the charging point, plug in their cable and then confirm via the Pod Point app within 15 minutes.

The energy consumption of the EV charging points is fully trackable, offering a complete picture of usage data. The Galleries say this allows them to track demand and to possibly expand its EV charging facilities.

The Washington centre has unveiled the 7kW twin Electrical Vehicle (EV) points for the growing number of drivers who need them.

Demand for electrical vehicles is steadily rising in the UK amid growing calls to address the climate change.

The chargers were paid for by shopping centre giants M & G Real Estate, who own the Galleries.

David McNee, Galleries centre manager, said: “With more and more people opting for electrical vehicles and with limited charging facilities available locally, installing the new charging points at our centre was the right thing to do, for visitors and for the environment.

“We’re pleased people now have the freedom to visit us without the added worry of where to charge electrical vehicles.

“So we hope the new charging points are a welcome addition to our existing 2,500 free parking spaces.”

Scott Linard, portfolio director of M & G Real Estate, said: “The electric vehicle market continues to grow as drivers seek environmental benefits and prepare for the Government ban on the sale of all diesel and petrol cars and vans from 2030.

“It is therefore important that we recognise this growth, so the arrival of the new EV charging points is a real step forward for The Galleries.

“We want to support our customers and retailers as fully as possible and will continue to review opportunities to expand our EV charging points in line with growing demand.”

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