A video doing the rounds on social media has falsely claimed that “brand new” EV charging points at a Welsh forecourt are powered by a diesel generator.
Full Fact reports that the Facebook video, which has been shared more than 9,000 times, shows a number of new charging stations for EVs at the Cardiff West Services off the M4 motorway.
During footage of the charging points, which are fenced off and not in use, the person filming the video says they can follow a cable running underground to the “power source”. The video then shows a generator running behind more fencing. The video’s narrator says the generator is required because “the power supply haven’t [sic] got the infrastructure to run the chargers. So your electric cars are still running on diesel”.
Full Fact says that although the government has confirmed that there are occasions where a diesel generator can be used as a temporary measure until chargers are connected to the electricity grid, it is not true that the power for these charging points comes from a diesel generator.
Moto, which operates Cardiff West Services, told Full Fact that the EV chargers are not currently open to the public, but will be powered by “100% net zero carbon energy” when they begin operating.
Moto said that the generator shown in the footage is a hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) generator, which is being used to facilitate the installation work.
The EV chargers will be operated by Gridserve, which produces electricity through solar energy farms and battery storage..
A Moto spokesperson said: ““Gridserve are currently undertaking a range of tests and commissioning processes on site that rely on the power created by a HVO generator.”
