New e-bike charging points have been installed for staff at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospitals in Surrey. As they are solar-powered, the chargers, installed by SolarCycle UK, can be used free of charge.

Move Electric reports that the facilities team at Ashford and St Peter’s Hospital NHS Foundation Trust had been investigating installation of e-bike charging points. However, the cost and level disruption had both seemed high given the need to route cables under roads and sections of car park.

They then learned of SolarCycle’s off-grid solar charging system, which has no need for a mains connection.

The firm itself says its charge points can be up and running in just one day and running costs are obviously low too, given the energy source.

Chargers for standard UK three-pin plug sockets have duly been installed at both hospitals with capacity to charge four e-bikes simultaneously at each site.

The charging stations were purchased thanks to charitable donations. The Trust also hopes to purchase two e-bikes which will be available for staff to use so that they can get first-hand experience of the benefits of e-bikes.

We’ve had a few solar-powered e-bike stories on ebiketips recently.

In January, we reported how Ikea has been trialling a solar powered e-cargo bike for deliveries. The retailer says that solar panels on the roof of the SunRider three-wheeler provide an average of 65-70 per cent of the charge needed for daily deliveries and up to 100 per cent on sunny days. The vehicle is capable of carrying around 90 per cent of the firm’s product range.

A month earlier we brought you news of the Squad Mobility, a very small electric four-wheeler with a rooftop solar panel which is due to go on sale later this year.