Located 1,200 miles from the south-west coast of Africa, the British Overseas Territory of St Helena is remote in the extreme.
Thanks to being so isolated, however, St Helena has been chosen to host a new public charging trial for electric vehicles.
Subaru UK and Norwegian electric vehicle charger brand Easee are collaborating with St Helena’s government to test whether zero-emissions motoring can work in such a distant location.
With a population of just over 4,400 people, St Helena currently has just four electric vehicles on the island. None of these feature the latest EV technology, however, which is where Subaru’s contribution comes in.
Charging into the extreme
A Subaru Solterra SUV was transported to the island on the regular monthly supply ship. Given St Helena’s rugged terrain, it already has a number of enthusiastic Subaru owners, helping the Solterra fit right in.
Easee Charge installed a new charging device in Jamestown, the capital of St Helena, next to the island’s museum.
At present, St Helena uses a wind farm and solar panels to produce 25 percent of its electricity. The rest comes from a diesel power station, using fuel shipped from South Africa. By 2028, the island aims to have 80 percent of its electricity generated from renewable sources.
During the two-month trial, the Subaru Solterra covered around 50 miles per day, taking in the island’s network of tight and twisty roads. The mountainous terrain allowed for plenty of regenerative braking, meaning just 20 percent of the battery charge was used each day.
Start of a new island network
Following the trial, the Easee charging point will remain on the island, as part of a plan to install more devices for St Helena residents and visitors.
“We’re excited to be a partner in this project to bring in an electric car and an electric charger and to install it as a public charging station in the remotest place in the world,” says Mark Brooks, St Helena’s minister for treasury and economic development.
“The next step is to roll out the infrastructure, so that we are using electric vehicles more and more on the island. There are a lot of diesel and petrol vehicles primarily, and we want to change that behaviour and start to use more electric vehicles.”
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