St Helena remote EV charging

St Helena remote EV charging

The isolated British Overseas Territory of St Helena, 1200 miles off the south-west coast of Africa, is the location for a trial of the most remote public electric vehicle charging point.

It is the latest step in a plan for the tropical island, made famous as the final place of exile for Napoleon and home to 192-year-old tortoise Jonathan, to switch almost entirely to sustainable power and zero-emission transport by the end of this decade.

Global car manufacturer Subaru and Norwegian electric vehicle charger brand Easee have collaborated with the St Helena Government to test the feasibility, reliability and adaptability of electric vehicle use on one of the most remote inhabited islands on the planet.

The trial, lasting 2 months, featured an Easee Charge unit being installed beside the island’s Museum in the capital, Jamestown.

It was connected to the St.

Helena grid by island power provider Connect St Helena Ltd, and was used to charge an all-electric Subaru Solterra, which was put through its paces across the rugged St Helena landscape.

With only four electric vehicles currently in use on St.

Helena, and none of them the latest generation in EV technology, a 2024 Subaru Solterra was transported on the regular monthly supply ship to the island for the trial by Subaru UK.

St.

Helena is home to many Subarus, known for their robustness and reliability, and the arrival of the company’s first all-electric car drew a lot of attention.

The permanent All-Wheel drive Solterra was tested on sealed and dirt roads, in Jamestown and on the tight network of lanes which cling to the volcanic isle’s craggy landscape.

A whole day of driving, over approximately 50 miles on the 10x5 mile island , used no more than 20% of the battery capacity.

The undulating roads meant the battery could be recharged using the vehicle's regenerative braking technology on downhill sections.