15 July 2021
From The Big Lemon London to Brighton
Charge your vehicles – the first Big Lemon London to Brighton Electric Vehicle Rally sponsored by EDF – Britain’s biggest generator of zero carbon electricity will be going ahead as planned on Sunday 18th July 2021. The 60-strong entries, including celebrities Fat Boy Slim, Charley Boorman, Mark Lester and Robert Llewellyn will leave from the banks of the River Thames, covering over 58 miles, before finishing on Brighton Beach.
The Big Lemon CIC have started this Rally to showcase the best in sustainable transport. It is an event that has adapted to new government guidelines. It aims to deliver a Covid-safe event and organisers are excited to welcome such a diverse and strong display of Electric Vehicles and methods of transport.
Our roadside assistance partner is The RAC. The number-one for EV breakdown as it is the only UK breakdown provider to offer van-mounted, lightweight emergency mobile charging system for EVs. Their expert patrols can use EV Boost to quickly get a flat or severely depleted EV on the move again. And if you need a garage, the RAC’s All Wheels Up recovery system can be used to safely tow an EV with all four wheels off the ground.
Vehicle entries received so far include: The Big Lemon new Higer STEED electric bus, Renault’s electric microcar, a Renault Twizy, an electric C5 and 2CV, a self- built former chicken coup, an assortment of motorbikes and the Ardingly Ifield solar car that crossed Australia.
The inaugural event has also attracted some celebrity EV aficionados including Martlets Hospice champion, Musician, DJ and record producer, Fat Boy Slim. Also taking part will be TV presenter, travel writer and motorcycle enthusiast, Charley Boorman. He will be taking part on an electric Harley Davidson as used in his epic “The Long Way Up” with Ewan McGregor. Actor Mark Lester, who played the title role in the film ‘Oliver’ will also be taking part, riding a CAKE electric motorbike along with ‘Fully Charged’ presenter and actor, Robert Llewellyn, who will be driving an Electrogenic’s Marmite VW Camper Van!
Spectators are invited to join the Rally at the halfway point at Ifield Community College and the finish line at Madeira Drive, Brighton, where all vehicles will be on display and cheered as they cross the finish line.
The E-village on Brighton Beach will encourage visitors to explore the electric way of life, with an array of interactive stands, entertainment and displays from the UK’s leading EV companies along with an education zone and test track area. Visitors will have the opportunity to test drive one of the Big Lemon Electric buses, ride the Volks Railway, drive converted classic cars and have a ride in a 1905 steam (now electric) powered car. A children’s electric go-kart track will give the younger visitors the opportunity to get behind the wheel, whilst the Ardingly College sponsored education zone will help answer any questions and learn about the benefits associated with switching to electric.
The coveted awards ceremony will take place on the evening of the 18th of July, at the Grand Hotel Brighton with awards for participants with the lowest energy consumption and general performance across all categories.
Categories for the rally include:
We would like to thank all the events partners and sponsors for helping with this year’s event including:The Big Lemon CIC, EDF, RAC, Fully Charged, Intercounty Truck & Van ltd, R Symons Electric Vehicle Sales, The Grand Hotel, Zero Motorcycles, MOTOEBIKES, Electric Brighton, Visit Brighton, NOVO Insurance and Drive ElectricIf you would like to attend or find out more information on the Big Lemon London to Brighton electric vehicle rally go to: www.londontobrightonelectricvehiclerally.com
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About EDF
“Britain’s biggest generator of zero carbon electricity”
EDF is helping Britain achieve Net Zero by leading the transition to a cleaner, low emission electric future and tackling climate change. We are Britain’s biggest generator of zero carbon electricity, meeting around one-fifth of the country’s demand and supplying millions of customers with electricity and gas.
With around 5 million accounts, EDF is one of the largest suppliers to British homes and businesses and a leading supplier of innovative energy solutions that are helping businesses become more energy independent. All of our home and small business customers get energy tariffs backed by zero carbon electricity as standard.
We generate low carbon electricity from eight nuclear power stations, more than thirty onshore wind farms and two offshore wind farms, and operate one of Britain’s biggest battery storage units, one gas and one coal power
station, thousands of EV charge-points, and combined heat and power plants. Wind, nuclear and solar all produce electricity that is zero carbon at the point of generation and have similar emissions over the build, run and retire lifecycles.
EDF is leading the UK’s nuclear renaissance with the construction of a new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C, and is leading the development of plans for a replica at Sizewell C in Suffolk. Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C will provide low carbon electricity to meet 14% of UK demand and power around 12 million homes.
EDF is one of the UK’s largest investors in renewables, with 1GW of renewable generation in operation and over 4GW in construction, planning and development across a range of technologies including onshore and offshore wind, solar and battery storage. We are constructing our largest offshore wind farm in Britain – the 450 W Neart na Gaoithe project in Scotland which will be ready in 2023. Our energy services business, Imtech, is one of the largest technical service providers in the UK and Ireland.
EDF is part of EDF Group, the world’s biggest electricity generator. In the UK we employ around 13,000 people.
From time-to-time we host guest blogs or articles on our website. The views, opinions and positions expressed within these guest posts are those of the author alone and do not represent those of Electric Vehicle Association England.