Surrey County Council has become the second local council in the UK to install Papilio3, a pop-up solar car park and electric vehicle (EV) charging hub.
Aiming to support the council’s transition to electrified fleets, the pop-up solar car park is located at the authority’s Depot Centre in Merrow, Guildford and officially opened on 04 June.
The pop-up structure has been designed by 3ti around a recycled shipping container, which gives it the ability to be transported and lifted into place, and installed in under eight hours.
Combining local mains power with solar, Papilio3 can fast-charge up to 12 EVs at 7, 11 or 22kW simultaneously, making it suitable for a range of destinations with two-to-five-hour dwell times.
What’s more, each Papilio3 has an installed capacity of 19.3kWp and can produce up to 18MWh of electricity in year one, equivalent to 64,343 EV miles, saving 3.6 tCO2e.
Ben Marchant, CEO of 3ti, said: “The installation of Papilio3 at the council’s Depot Centre is enabling the council to expand its electric fleet and deliver on its commitments to securing a greener future by decarbonising the transport sector.
“This particular application introduced new constraints for our team to overcome, further illustrating the versatility of our innovative pop-up solar car park, which continues to be able to adapt to a range of varied applications and conditions.”
Pre-fitted with a range of safety features, including motion lighting, CCTV and full accessibility for wheelchair users, Papilio3 can be rented on a monthly basis from 3ti. Surrey County Council has agreed a three-year hire for Papilio3.
Strategic contract group manager for Surrey council’s highways and transport department, Paul Wheadon, said: “We’re delighted to have Papilio3 installed, which represents an important milestone in our effort to reduce emissions and expand our electric vehicle fleet.
“With charging capacity up to 22kW, multiple operational vehicles (when not in use) can be charged throughout the day, ensuring vehicles remain operational without the need for long dwell times on low-powered charging options.
“Papilio3 aligns with our wider commitment to reduce the impact of transport on the environment, as we continue to work towards achieving a greener future.”
To date, Papilio3 has been installed in a range of settings across the leisure, public, private, commercial and industrial sectors for destination and workplace charging at locations including Silverstone racetrack, Five Rivers Health & Wellbeing Centre in Wiltshire, Surrey Research Park and Raigmore Hospital in the Scottish Highlands.
Achievements and innovations in EV charging infrastructure and smart parking will be celebrated at the third annual CiTTi Awards, which will be held on 26 November 2024 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Nominations are open now! Please visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector
