Angel of the North to be checkpoint for EV rally

The Great British EV Rally (GBEVR) will see more than 50 electric cars and vans travel 1,300 miles in five days, from John O’Groats to Land’s End. Organised by specialist media and events group GreenFleet, the rally will be a major showcase of the capabilities of EVs and their charging infrastructure.

Along the route, key checkpoints allow the media to meet the teams and their drivers to find out more about the EV rally. Day two of the journey will see a checkpoint at the Angel of the North, allowing the EV rally to showcase what Electric vehicles have to offer.

It builds on the success of last year’s EV Rally of Scotland, which featured 20 teams covering 1,200 miles as part of COP26. Among the drivers returning for this year’s event is Edmund King OBE, president of the AA. “At the AA we’re dedicated to supporting the transition towards EVs, and to giving power to electric drivers,” he said.

“That’s why we’re thrilled to once again be the official roadside assistance partner of the Great British EV Rally. For us, the rally is a great way to help shine a spotlight on EVs, the UK’s charging network and the reality of travelling electric.”

Rally organiser GreenFleet has pioneered promoting the switch to cleaner vehicle technology since 2005. Its multi-media platform of digital magazine, news and events helps organisations formulate a strategy, and introduces them to industry experts to implement it.

The rally is sponsored by Lex Autolease, the UK’s leading leasing company which manages the nation’s largest fleet of EVs, the rally is supported by teams representing some of the largest names in British business, including AA, Mitie, National Grid, Maxus, OVO energy, DPD, Karcher and more. Each team can enter up to four electric cars or vans, occupied by a driver and co-driver.

Charging the vehicles is made possible through a unique collaboration with some of the UK’s leading charging infrastructure specialists. Each driver will have access to more than 10,000 charge points via a single RFID card, thanks to Paua Technology.

This includes the SWARCO network in Scotland and the national Gridserve Electric Highway, as well as the bp pulse network, including a stop at its fleet charging hub in Park Lane on Day 4.

Tracy Brabin, the mayor of West Yorkshire, said, “we’re really looking forward to welcoming the Great British EV Rally to Leeds at the UK’s first ever solar powered Park & Ride in Stourton.

“With more people considering going electric, it’s great to see events like the Great British EV Rally which demonstrate the fantastic range cars and vans have, as well as how easy it is to access charging networks like the one we have here in our region.”