Boosting residential EV charging

author: FutureCar Staff    

Vauxhall has launched the 'Electric Streets of Britain' initiative to address the lack of residential on-street EV charging infrastructure. According to a freedom of information request made by Vauxhall, 70% of local authorities in the UK have no strategy in place for on-street EV charging. This poses a significant barrier to EV adoption, as 40% of homes in the country do not have a driveway or garage for charging.

The FOI request received responses from 289 out of 414 UK councils and local authorities. The findings revealed that 69% of them have not installed any on-street chargers, and 45% have no plans to do so this year. In response to these findings, Vauxhall has set up the 'Electric Streets of Britain' program to ensure that homes without driveways are not left behind in the transition to zero-emission motoring.

Vauxhall's initiative includes the establishment of a national database at www.electricstreets.co.uk, where the public can register their needs for on-street charging. This will enable councils to better understand the demand for on-street charging among existing and potential EV drivers. Vauxhall is also working with charging operators char.gy, Connected Kerb, and SureCharge to support councils in understanding the scale of on-street charging issues and the available solutions.

The importance of on-street charging is highlighted by the fact that 80% of all EV charging is done at home. In urban areas, where 60% of homes lack off-street parking, the need for on-street charging is even more crucial. Vauxhall suggests solutions such as lamp post chargers, which can be installed quickly, and pavement-mounted bollards.

James Taylor, Managing Director of Vauxhall, emphasizes the importance of accessibility to charge points near homes in driving the transition to electric vehicle ownership. He states that the initiative aims to involve the public, councils, and charging operators to ensure that everyone without a driveway can be part of the journey towards electric mobility. The goal is to educate decision-makers and facilitate the installation of more chargers at a faster pace.

In addition to benefiting private motorists, on-street charging provision will also support businesses in adopting electric vehicles. Around 40% of company-owned electric vans are charged at home by employees. Therefore, the widespread availability of charge points will enable van drivers to conveniently charge both at home and at destination chargers when attending residential jobs.

FutureCar Staff