On-street charging firm announces £1.9bn plan to add 190,000 new public chargers

An electric vehiclecharging firm has announced a £1.9 billion plan to add 190,000 new on-street charging points around the UK within the next 10 years.

Connected Kerb, which specialises in public on-street chargers, says the unprecedented investment will help “level up” provision for millions of motorists who don’t have access to off-street parking or private charging.

It has just announced a new contract for 10,000 chargers to be installed before the end of 2021 and says it will fit a further 30,000 by the end of 2022.

EV uptake is soaring around the UK but providing easy access to chargers is still seen as key to meeting Government ambitions to persuade drivers to switch to electric vehicles before the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars.

An estimated 40% of car-owning households don’t have private parking where a home wallbox could be installed and, according to a Competition and Markets Authority report published earlier this year, there are only 1,000 on-street public chargers outside of London. That equates to one for every 52 EVs in the country.

The report notes that “Sufficient, low cost and convenient on-street charging is...essential for encouraging EV take-up, but despite its importance roll-out to date has been limited”.

On average, councils are expected to install just 35 chargers each between now and 2025 and more than 100 local authorities have said they have no plans to install any public charging stations.

The announcement comes shortly after the Government said it would commit a further £620 million to charging infrastructure and EV grants.

Dr Chris Pateman-Jones, CEO of Connected Kerb, said: “Knowing you can arrive at virtually any location, at any time, in any vehicle and cheaply charge your battery without inconvenience or faff is the reality we have to deliver to create an EV society. Our rollout of public chargers – one of the most ambitious the UK has ever seen – encapsulates that future, helping individuals and businesses to confidently make the switch to electric, reducing their carbon footprint and cutting air pollution.

Connected Kerb’s announcement follows a similar plan from Shell, which intends to install 50,000 on-street chargers by 2025, and plans for dozens of high-powered charging hubs along the country’s main roads.