Electric ambulance charger 'an important step'

3 hours ago

Hannah MitchellNorth East and Cumbria

News image — It is hoped the new EV charger at the University Hospital of North Tees will help achieve the NHS goal of reaching net zero

NEAS A paramedic's hand holding an electric vehicle charger plug. The paramedic is wearing a dark green uniform and in the background there is the side door of an ambulance, which has yellow and green reflective panelling on it. — It is hoped the new EV charger at the University Hospital of North Tees will help achieve the NHS goal of reaching net zero

A new electric vehicle (EV) rapid charger has been installed at a hospital in what has been called "an important step" for its ambulance service.

North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) said it hoped the new charger at the University Hospital of North Tees would help the NHS achieve its long-term goal of reaching net zero carbon emissions.

The new dual rapid charger allows vehicles to charge quickly while operating in Teesside and joins a growing network of chargers at NHS sites across the North East.

NEAS operates more than 600 vehicles from 63 ambulance stations and three operations centres across the region. In 2025/26, its teams attended 442,168 incidents and took 298,307 patients to hospital.

In early 2026, the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC) awarded £10m to 120 NHS sites across 42 trusts to support electric vehicle charging infrastructure and the electrification of the NHS fleet.

As part of this funding, North East Ambulance Service was awarded £2.2m to install rapid electric vehicle charge points at ambulance stations in Alnwick, Backworth, Bishop Auckland, Blucher, Coulby Newham, Consett and Stockton.

NEAS An electric vehicle charging point in the ambulance parking area at University Hospital of North Tees. The unit is a black, rectangular tower with small screen on the front and charger plug and cable on the right hand side. — The new charger will allow emergency vehicles to reach 80% charge in about 15 minutes

Martin Gibson, environmental sustainability manager at NEAS, said the charger was "another important step forward for our EV project".

"As we continue to explore the future use of electric ambulance vehicles, having the right charging infrastructure in place is essential," he said.

The DHSC investment will deliver 46 high‑powered charging ports to North East Ambulance Service sites, with a total power capacity of 1,250kW, enabling emergency vehicles reach 80 per cent charge in around 15 minutes.

Chris Chalmers, head of operations at NEAS, said: "Reliable charging facilities are a vital part of preparing for the next generation of ambulance vehicles."