Cambridgeshire leisure centre zooms ahead with rapid chargers

Users of a brand-new leisure centre in Ely can now charge their electric cars while they work up a sweat in the gym.

The Hive Leisure Centre, which opened in May, has worked with charging company InstaVolt to install rapid charging stations in its car park.

The chargers are so fast that most electric cars could be fully charged in less time than it takes to do a typical gym class.

Sally Bonnett, Infrastructure and Strategy Manager at East Cambridgeshire District Council, said the move to install the chargers comes as the council aims to make the area as electric car-friendly as possible.

“We wanted to ensure that this facility not only works for residents now, but in the future. Adding the capability for residents to charge their electric cars was simple, especially as there was no additional cost to include these as part of the build.”

The 50kw rapid chargers are being installed by electric vehicle charging firm, InstaVolt. Unlike many other companies, InstaVolt installs and maintains chargers for free and makes its money from the sale of electricity to drivers. It even gives its partner landlords a rental income for letting them use space to house the chargers.

It means that the stations at Hive Leisure Centre have been installed at no cost to the taxpayer. The council will also receive money for hosting the chargers – money that could be invested into other green initiatives or leisure facilities.

CEO of InstaVolt Tim Payne said: “It’s good news for the council and for electric car drivers in the area. As electric vehicles become more and more popular, an increasing number of local authorities are looking to install rapid charging points and we’re pleased to see East Cambridgeshire District Council is among those forward-thinking councils.”

Like all of InstaVolt’s charging units, those at The Hive Leisure Centre are available for electric vehicle drivers to use on a subscription free, pay-as-you-go basis. Motorists simply tap their contactless credit or debit card, charge-up and go. Users are charged only for the electricity they use on a per-unit basis. There is no connection fee, minimum charge or monthly subscription fee.

Find your nearest charger.