Milton Keynes completes Dragons’ Den electric charging trial
Milton Keynes City Council is extending an innovative electric car charging trial which unlocks home charging for motorists without driveways.
In partnership with Kerbo Charge, the city council initially trialled the ‘through-pavement channels’ for six families who don’t have access to off-street parking.
The founders of Kerbo Charge pitched the product on the BBC’s Dragons’ Den show in February and received investment from sustainability champion Deborah Meaden.
The trial is now being extended for up to 100 electric vehicle users in Milton Keynes.
The product has proved a success for many residents as it gives them the confidence to move from petrol/diesel cars to electric, reducing CO2 emissions.
David, (pictured) a resident who took part in the initial trial has hailed the new technology as ‘transformational’.
Meaden said:
“I backed Kerbo Charge because I saw a big problem around EV charging that needed to be solved, and I like the clever self-closing design of their product. This has been a comprehensive trial, running for over a year, and so I think this is a great opportunity for other local authorities to take the learnings from Milton Keynes City Council about how to roll these out.”
Cabinet Member for Public Realm, Cllr Jennifer Wilson-Marklew said:
“We have a proud history of supporting innovation and encouraging electric vehicle uptake here in Milton Keynes. We have one of the best public charging networks in the country but we want to do more to help our residents. This extended trial enables our residents to home charge when they do not have a driveway, giving them the confidence to switch to a low-emission lifestyle which helps us meet our sustainability targets.”
Kerbo Charge Co-Founder Michael Goulden said:
“Our aim is to make it affordable for residents without driveways to move to electric. We’re delighted that Milton Keynes City Council is making home charging accessible to residents with street parking across the city. Milton Keynes is known as one of the most innovative councils in the UK and they’ve certainly lived up to that reputation here.”
Image courtesy of Milton Keynes City Council