Trojan Energy EV chargers go live in London
New on-street electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints designed by Trojan Energy are now live for testing in the London boroughs of Brent and Camden.
The project has been led by energy consultancy Element Energy, an ERM Group company, and will result in local EV drivers trialling 150 new on-street chargepoints. The innovative chargepoints, designed by Trojan Energy, sit flat and flush with the pavement so have no permanent raised structure. This technology will provide vital on-street charging for those without driveways or garages, whilst keeping streets clear of additional clutter.
The full launch of the trial is a key milestone in the three-year Subsurface Technology for Electric Pathways (STEP) project, funded by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and delivered by Innovate UK, which has seen the charge points developed from concept, through manufacturing and now deployment.
For the STEP trial, 10 sets of 15 charge points are installed on six streets in Brent and four streets in Camden. Currently nine streets are live, with the final street in Camden due to be operational later this year. More than 150 EV drivers have signed-up to use the technology, with the trial scheduled to run for several months. If the trial is successful and passes council consultation, the system will remain in use for years to come.
Trojan Energy designed the unique flat and flush charging system for those without access to off-street parking. Importantly, Disability Rights UK provided design input to improve usability for all drivers and increase safety for all street users.
Element Energy have designed surveys for trial participants alongside academic partners from the Institute of Transport Studies at the University of Leeds to evaluate the success of the project. Success will not only be defined by feedback from local EV drivers using the technology, but additionally by more than 150 nearby non-trial residents providing their feedback on the new infrastructure in their area. Results from this research will feed into Trojan Energy’s future deployment strategy of these innovative chargepoints.
Key electricity industry project partners have brought their expertise to the team. UK Power Networks have provided the connections to the electricity network and assisted in finding the balance between power and availability for the systems. Octopus Energy has brought its innovation team’s expertise in areas such as tariffs and metering and is Trojan’s ongoing 100% renewable energy supply partner.
Ian Mackenzie, CEO of Trojan Energy, said: “The whole Trojan Energy team is grateful for the support of the project partners in achieving the next milestone in volume deployment of our systems. The learnings from here will underpin our whole market approach as we move from trials to commercial roll out, across the UK and around the world.”
Oliver Robinson, the Project Manager and Senior Consultant at Element Energy, commented: “The project has achieved its impressive goal of bringing over 100 well-designed, neat on-street chargers to people across Brent and Camden. I am proud of the Consortium and looking forward to seeing the future of commercial rollout for Trojan Energy as they accelerate the transition to net zero for drivers who park on street.”
Councillor Krupa Sheth, cabinet member for Environment at Brent Council, said “I am delighted that six streets in Brent have additional charging points for electric cars. This is another huge step forwards in making climate friendly travel even more accessible for residents. This is one of a number of initiatives on our journey to achieve zero carbon emissions in Brent by 2030.”
Neil Madgwick, Head of Service Delivery at UK Power Networks, said “Projects like this are vital to delivering greater accessibility to charging infrastructure that truly works for everyone. Whether you’re driving an EV, are yet to make the switch or are a pedestrian using the street, these innovative charge points are keeping the pavement clear for all who are using it, whilst ensuring those who need to charge their car can.”
Professor Jillian Anable, of the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds, said: “Using surveys of EV drivers on the trial and non-EV driver residents in the area, we will be assessing how the new charging technology affects local amenity, parking, and the charging behavior of EV drivers. We anticipate the Trojan Energy technology has the potential to alleviate public concerns in all these areas.”
Mark Constable, Head of Business Development at Trojan Energy, is a speaker at this year’s Transport + Energy Forum event.
Image courtesy of Element Energy.
