Vauxhall's plan to accelerate residential on-street EV charging

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【Summary】Vauxhall has launched the 'Electric Streets of Britain' program to address the lack of residential on-street EV charging infrastructure. A freedom of information request revealed that 70% of local authorities in the UK have no EV charging strategy for residential areas. Vauxhall aims to ensure that homes without driveways are not left behind in the transition to electric vehicles by setting up a national database for the public to register their needs.

FutureCar Staff Aug 15, 2023 4:19 PM PT

Vauxhall's plan to accelerate residential on-street EV charging

Vauxhall has launched the 'Electric Streets of Britain' initiative to address the lack of residential on-street EV charging infrastructure. A freedom of information request by Vauxhall revealed that 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 UK do not have a driveway or garage for charging.

The FOI request also found that 69% of councils have not installed any on-street chargers, and 45% have no plans to do so this year. In response to these findings, Vauxhall aims to ensure that homes without driveways are not left behind in the transition to zero-emission motoring.

Vauxhall has created a national database at www.electricstreets.co.uk, where the public can register their need for on-street charging. This will help councils understand the demand for on-street charging and better cater to existing and potential EV drivers. Vauxhall is working with charging operators char.gy, Connected Kerb, and SureCharge to establish an 'Enablement Fund' that will assist councils in addressing on-street charging issues.

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, on-street charging becomes even more crucial. Vauxhall suggests solutions such as lamp post chargers and pavement-mounted bollards, which can be quickly installed and operational within 30 minutes.

James Taylor, Managing Director of Vauxhall, emphasizes the need for accessibility to charge points near homes for the successful transition to electric vehicle ownership in the UK. Vauxhall aims to collaborate with the public, councils, and charging operators to educate decision-makers and facilitate the installation of more chargers.

On-street charging infrastructure not only benefits private motorists but also supports businesses. Approximately 40% of company-owned electric vans are charged at home by employees. Therefore, widespread availability of charge points will enable businesses to go electric by allowing van drivers to conveniently charge at home and at destination chargers while attending residential jobs.