Managed by Zero Carbon Futures, the €7,358,000 (£5,885,885) scheme forms part of the Trans European Transport Network (TEN-T) project, which is aiming to improve road links across Europe, and is half funded by the European Union with additional input from Renault, Nissan, BMW and Volkswagen.

All of the 70 sites will offer rapid charging units compatible with the CHAdeMO standard (used by the Nissan LEAF and Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV), Combined Charging System (used by the BMW i3 and Volkswagen e-Golf) and the 43kW AC rapid charging connector used by the Renault ZOE, which can also support slower speeds for vehicles with the Type 2/Mennekes connector.

It means vehicles with rapid charging capability will be able to recover 80% of their range within half an hour, in turn enabling long-distance travel.

Ten units are already installed and, once complete, the network will span almost 700 miles of trunk roads and link five international airports and five seaports across the UK and Ireland. Project partners also include Irish utility company ESB and Newcastle University, which will study how the network is used by drivers.