BT's Innovative Approach to Electric Vehicle Charging

Home > Industry Analysis > Content

【Summary】BT is conducting trials to convert its street cabinets into electric vehicle (EV) charging points in an effort to expand the EV charging infrastructure in the UK. The trials aim to repurpose cabinets currently used for phone and internet services and assess the viability of utilizing them for EV charging. The challenges include location, planning, and charging issues. This initiative is part of BT's goal to achieve net zero emissions by 2031.

FutureCar Staff Aug 14, 2023 11:14 PM PT

BT's Innovative Approach to Electric Vehicle Charging

BT has announced plans to convert its street cabinets into electric vehicle (EV) charging points in a bid to expand the EV charging infrastructure in the UK. The company aims to repurpose the cabinets, which are currently used for copper-based phone and internet services, as these services are being phased out with the transition to full-fibre communications. This move is part of BT's efforts to achieve its net zero goals, with plans to achieve net zero in its own operations by March 2031 and in its supply chain by March 2041.

However, there are several challenges that need to be addressed. One of the challenges is the location of the cabinets and the planning issues associated with installing charging points. In addition, there are concerns about charging availability and the financial aspects of charging. Upgrading the 90,000 existing green boxes to accommodate charging points will require engineering works and may cause further disruption, which could be frustrating for people who are already dealing with the inconvenience of fibre roll-out.

Despite these challenges, converting street cabinets into EV charging points could be a viable solution for areas with terraced housing, particularly those dating back to the Victorian and Edwardian eras where off-road parking is often unavailable. This initiative could help address the lack of charging points across the country and contribute to the government's goal of expanding the number of charging points from 45,000 to 300,000 by 2030.

Rob Pritchard, a principal analyst at GlobalData, highlighted the importance of finding new ideas to repurpose existing street furniture to expand charging availability. With the ban on sales of new vehicles powered by internal combustion engines set to become law in 2030, range anxiety remains a key concern for prospective buyers of EVs. Therefore, initiatives like BT's trial to convert street cabinets into charging points could help alleviate this concern and encourage more people to adopt electric vehicles.