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

Home > Industry Analysis > Content

【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 have no EV charging strategy in place. 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 6:19 AM PT

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

Vauxhall has launched the 'Electric Streets of Britain' program to address the lack of residential on-street EV charging options. A freedom of information request made 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 received responses from 289 out of 414 UK councils and local authorities. Among the respondents, 69% have not installed any on-street chargers, and 45% have no plans to install them 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 set up a national database at www.electricstreets.co.uk, where the public can register their need for on-street charging. This database will provide councils with a better understanding of the demand for on-street charging for existing and potential EV drivers. Vauxhall is working with charging operators char.gy, Connected Kerb, and SureCharge to help councils understand the scale of on-street charging issues and the available solutions.

On-street charging is crucial because 80% of all EV charging is done at home. In urban areas, 60% of homes do not have off-street parking. Vauxhall suggests solutions such as lamp post chargers, which can be installed and operational within 30 minutes, and pavement-mounted bollards.

James Taylor, Managing Director of Vauxhall, emphasizes the importance of accessibility to charge points near homes. Vauxhall aims to involve the public, councils, and charging operators in the transition to electric vehicle ownership. The company wants to educate decision-makers and accelerate the installation of more chargers.

Residential on-street charging not only benefits private motorists but also supports businesses. Approximately four in 10 company-owned electric vans are charged at home by employees. Therefore, the widespread availability of charge points will help businesses go electric by enabling van drivers to conveniently charge both at home and at residential job locations.