THEY say the best ideas are born out of necessity.

That's certainly the case for a North-East entrepreneur, who has set up a business selling cables for electric vehicles after spotting a gap in the market.

Although only launched last September, 4EV has already sold hundreds of cables to customers across the UK and Europe, with plans in place to set up sites in the Netherlands, India, China and the US.

The business came about after founder and electric car owner, Darren Pegram, discovered there were very few places he could buy additional cables to charge his BMW i3 at a competitive price, so decided to begin importing cables himself and selling them online.

The Northern Echo: AMBITIONS: Darren Pegram wants his business, 4EV, to rival manufacturer-made electric vehicle cables
AMBITIONS: Darren Pegram wants his business, 4EV, to rival manufacturer-made electric vehicle cables

Using technology to take advantage of emerging market trends and opportunities is nothing new for the 36-year-old.

Since setting up his first business, while still at university, he has harnessed his computer skills to sell a variety of products.

His love of all things digital began at the age of seven, when his grandfather bought him a Commodore 16.

By the time he began studying for his A-levels, Mr Pegram was hooked, travelling to Darlington College from his home in Bedale, North Yorkshire, every day to study computing, before being offered a place on the business IT degree course at Manchester Metropolitan University.

It was here, in 1999, where he set up his first venture, an online ink cartridge business, at a time when e-commerce was still a relatively new concept.

He said: “I had always planned on leaving university and finding a good graduate job with a national company, but I found I enjoyed running my own business and by the time I finished studying it had reached a size where I could earn more from that than working for someone else.”

Since then Mr Pegram has continued to monitor national and international commercial trends, always looking for new ways to utilise his technology and business skills.

With the growth in electric vehicle ownership and investment in the sector, especially in the North-East, he believes his site, 4ev.co.uk, has the potential to be his most successful start-up yet.

Mr Pegram, who now lives in Darlington, said: “I’ve tried a variety of online businesses over the years, including selling tyres and setting up a community-based social network site.

"Some have been more successful than others but I’ve learned something from each one and I feel 4EV could be a great success story.

“My background isn’t in electric vehicles but in some ways I think that is an advantage.

"I’m just an ordinary person who saw a gap in the market and a chance to use my skills to plug that gap.

"My customers are just like me; electric vehicle owners looking for a high-quality product without paying over the odds.

“The beauty of e-commerce is you’re not tied down by geography; I can reach customers all over the world and eventually, that is my aim.”

With an expected turnover of around £150,000 in its first year, it seems Mr Pegram's ambitious plans may not be far from reach.

He added: “There is a developing trend for electric vehicles and I wanted to be part of that.

"My aim is for 4EV to be the number one alternative to manufacturer-made electric vehicle cables and I definitely think that is achievable.”

Family support has always been important for Mr Pegram.

His parents helped him get his first business up and running by posting out orders from their home in North Yorkshire, while Darren’s wife, Nichola, now provides HR support for his businesses and his sister works in the customer services and warehouse management side.

It also seems he may have passed his entrepreneurial spirit onto his eldest daughter, Mia.

“She has recently started selling old toys on Ebay", said Mr Pegram.

"I think she’s going to be a chip off the old block."