Employers involved with the project will assess the demands of their workforce for electric vehicle charging, before developing and installing an infrastructure for at least one of their workplaces. Technical support and a forum through which participants can share information has been established by the Department of Energy.

The project now has 29 employers and ten stakeholder groups now on board following the first group named in January. Newcomers include The Coca-Cola Company, The Hertz Corporation, Dell, Facebook and the National Grid, while the California Centre for Sustainable Energy and the Green Parking Council have also pledged their support.

Energy Secretary Steven Chu commented: ‘These American companies are taking strong steps to make their operations smarter and more fuel-efficient – setting an example for others to follow and helping America lead the global race for a growing industry.’