Charge her up: petrol stations to go electric

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An American firm is planning to transform dozens of empty stations. They will have airport-style waiting lounges where drivers can buy food or coffee.

Evoasis is setting up the first electric-car garage in Grovesnor Road, Pimlico, where up to 12 bays with high-power outlets will be able to recharge a battery in about 20 minutes.

A further five stations will be established by the end of the year.

Simon Lloyd, spokesman for Evoasis, said the firm would share profits from the scheme with the owners of each site.

The firm is in talks with supermarkets such as Tesco to install charging points for shoppers. It is also discussing installing charging points with Westminster council, which already has 60 - 12 on the street and 48 in car parks.

"If electric cars take off, then a lot of these charging points will be needed," said Richard Barrett of EPR, the architect who designed the stations. "If you are charging at home then it can take up to eight hours. However, these stations can do the job in 20 minutes." When drivers first plug in their cars, an electronic diagnostic system will work out the model and type of battery.

An average electric car such as the G-Wiz, which costs about £8,000 and has a range of 40 miles, will cost about £2 to recharge, Evoasis said.

The firm is also planning to allow drivers to download music and films. "Recent models allow us to access the entertainment system, so from the lounge you could buy music and have it downloaded straight to your car," said Mr Barrett.

Mayor Boris Johnson is considering an electric-car hire plan for London that would require thousands of power points.

The plan mirrors a Paris scheme, Autolib, which will be in place by the end of the year. Modelled on its bicycle-hire scheme, Autolib will see 4,000 electric cars sited across the French capital and its suburbs. Drivers will be able to use them at any time.

Sales of electric cars are small because of a lack of charging points.

In a Commons written answer, transport minister Jim Fitzpatrick said 4,929 battery-powered vehicles had been registered since 2004, and 1,322 took to the UK's roads last year.