Boosting residential on-street EV charging initiative

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【Summary】Vauxhall has launched the 'Electric Streets of Britain' programme to address the lack of residential on-street EV charging infrastructure. A freedom of information request revealed that 70% of local authorities have no EV charging strategy for residential areas, and 40% of UK homes lack a driveway or garage for charging.

FutureCar Staff Aug 25, 2023 9:58 AM PT

Boosting residential on-street EV charging initiative

Vauxhall has launched an initiative called the 'Electric Streets of Britain' program to address the lack of residential on-street EV charging infrastructure. According to a recent freedom of information request made by Vauxhall, it was revealed that 70% of local authorities in the UK do not have a strategy in place for on-street charging of electric vehicles. This poses a significant barrier to EV adoption, as 40% of homes in the country do not have a driveway or garage for EV charging.

The FOI request received responses from 289 out of 414 UK councils and local authorities. Among the respondents, 69% confirmed that they have not installed any on-street chargers, and 45% stated that they have no plans to install residential on-street chargers this year.

In response to these findings, Vauxhall, which plans to offer an electric version of every vehicle in their portfolio from next year and aims to be electric-only in the UK by 2028, has set up the 'Electric Streets of Britain' program. The program includes a national database at www.electricstreets.co.uk where the public can register their needs for on-street charging. This will help councils understand the demand for on-street charging and ensure that homes without driveways are not left behind in the transition to zero-emission motoring.

Vauxhall is working with charging operators char.gy, Connected Kerb, and SureCharge to address on-street charging issues. They have established an 'Enablement Fund' to help councils understand the scale of the problem and explore solutions. This initiative is crucial as on-street charging is vital for EV owners, with 80% of all EV charging done at home. In urban areas, where 60% of homes lack off-street parking, the need for on-street charging is even more pronounced.

James Taylor, Managing Director of Vauxhall, emphasizes the importance of accessibility to charge points near homes. He states that the goal is to involve everyone, including the public, councils, and charging operators, in the transition to electric vehicle ownership. The aim is to educate decision-makers, enable the installation of more chargers, and ensure that those without driveways can participate in the journey towards electric mobility.

The benefits of on-street charging extend beyond private motorists. It is estimated that four in 10 company-owned electric vans are charged at home by employees. Therefore, widespread availability of charge points will support businesses in transitioning to electric vehicles by facilitating convenient charging for van drivers both at home and as destination chargers when they are attending residential jobs.