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North East could 'lead the world' in electric cars

The North East could be a world leader in developing electric power for cars, according to a Government Minister.

Nick Brown, Minister for the North East, visited a glass company developing technology that could be used in a future electric vehicle market and again underlined the importance of the industry to the region.

Mr Brown was visiting Romag in Consett, County Durham, to see a solar car-parking canopy it has developed, which could be used to charge electric cars while they are parked.

He said that the development of such technologies by companies such as Romag had the potential to turn the North East into a major player in the electric vehicle market.

Mr Brown highlighted Washington-based Smith Electric Vehicles, part of the Tanfield Group, which makes electric vans, and Nissan, which plans to develop electric vehicle technology, as other examples of where the region was already poised to benefit from the new market.

He said: “I am really inspired by what I have seen this afternoon. I do feel the North East could become a world leader in the electric vehicle market.

“We should embrace it. There are plans for recharging points right across the region. We could roll it out quickly and there is support and interest from the local authorities.”

He also believed that the creation of an electric car battery factory in the region, possibly next to Nissan’s Sunderland site could be vitally important to the North East.

The Japanese car manufacturer is understood to be looking at a number of potential sites, with Sunderland under consideration.

Mr Brown said it was “very rare for one single decision” to have such a potential impact on an area, but this was one of those.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .