The UK’s leading network of Electric Vehicle (EV) charge points is calling on electric car enthusiasts to invest and help the company meet the demand for more charging stations around the country.

Tech City company, POD Point, has currently provided more than 17,000 charging stations, 1300 of them for public use, and now wants to attract a passionate customer base to further advance EV tech.

The sector is one of the fastest growing in the UK, with a yearly growth of 300 per cent.

On founding the Adler Street business, which is six years old, Erik Fairbairn, CEO and Founder of POD Point said: “I thought there was an enormous growth element for the future and it links in with my interest in cars and green. This was before electric vehicles hit the market and I thought car companies will make electric cars happen – so who is going to look after charging them?

“All the people that are asking us for more charging points, we thought they could become part of the solution and invest in POD Point, and we will spend the money on building a better network for them.”

The company is looking to raise £1.2 million from its crowdfunding campaign.

Mr Fairbairn, 37, who comes from a mechanical engineering background said that people generally enjoyed using EVs because they were very responsive, with no gears and are an estimated ten times cheaper per mile because there is no petrol charge.

He added: “There are absolutely zero tailback emissions. If everybody switched to electric vehicles it would have an enormous effect on air quality.

“POD Point is doing a great job to move into low carbon transport and the UK is already getting started.”

Mr Fairbairn said although the initial cost of buying a EV was more expensive, the money is saved over time not having to pay for petrol.

He said: “Though at the moment the EV is being bought into the slightly wealthier demographic, they are putting the volume into the market and that allows the cost of the vehicles to come down.”

Working in Tech City has played a role in the success of the company, as the location attracts relevant tech talent to come join the team.

Mr Fairbairn praised the entrepreneurial spirit of the area.

He said: “I’ve been an entrepreneur for 10 years and what I’ve seen over a decade is entrepreneurism is starting to become that something that the UK leads in. Tech City is starting to have some feel of Silicon Valley.

“We are going from a nation of shopkeepers to becoming a nation of business builders and to me that’s enormously satisfying because the rate of technology is increasing and the people who like change are entrepreneurs. We want to say, this is the future but it is something you can get into now.”

To find out more, visit: pod-point.com.