One of the largest street charging projects in the UK has been awarded to char.gy by Brighton and Hove City Council.
The initiative of 6,000 chargers, valued at £130m, is one of the first of a nationwide, large-scale rollout of similar street charging infrastructure planned for the next two years.
In every region of England, local authorities have access to Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding and will be launching similar-scale projects to expand public street charging access in their communities.
The news comes as Suffolk County Council has committed to a similar sized scheme.
It comes as approximately 40% of the population don’t have access to off-street parking, and require on-street or public charging hubs to charge their electric vehicles.
Local street chargers eliminate the need to actually drive to a charging station, making charging far more convenient.
In addition, charging nearer to home means they can take advantage of cheaper overnight rates, when energy tariffs are discounted, just like those with private, off-street domestic chargers.
char.gy offers one of the lowest available rates across their network on their PAYG Night tariff of 39p/kWh (Leccy.net), helping to make EV ownership more affordable and accessible for all.
John Lewis, CEO of char.gy:
“This is a huge moment for the country and its EV ambitions. BHCC, a consistent leader in the EV space, has set a benchmark for proactive action and collaboration. At char.gy, we’re committed to delivering a seamless, aUordable and convenient charging experience for everyone in Brighton & Hove – because that’s key to encouraging EV uptake.
This partnership alone will empower thousands of residents to confidently make the switch to electric vehicles, knowing they have easy access to chargers. As local authorities across England prepare to follow suit, this stands as a powerful first example of how the public and private sectors are coming together to deliver impactful projects that stimulate the demand for EVs and bring the country meaningfully closer to achieving our sustainability goals.”
Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said:
“Making charging as easy as possible is a crucial to making the switch to electric a success. Rolling out over 6,000 chargers across Brighton and Hove will make driving an Electric Vehicle easier and more convenient, especially for those without a driveway.
“It will power growth, cut emissions and improve lives in Brighton and Hove and beyond, as we continue to create jobs, attract investment and secure our future as part of our Plan for Change.”
Quentin Willson, Founder FairCharge said.
“Such a huge and very visible deployment of on-street chargers will help create consumer confidence in charging infrastructure and show other local authorities that with ambition and government LEVI funding it’s possible to oUer chargers to the neglected 30% of EV drivers who can’t charge at home.”
Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder and COO ZapMap, said:
“For those drivers who want to enjoy the many benefits of an electric car but who are not able to have a home charger, local provision of convenient and affordable charging is essential.”
“char.gy has been enabling streets with their cost-effective lamp post chargers for many years, and it is fantastic to see this announcement of such an extensive rollout in Brighton – the largest in any town or London Borough to date – and signals the start of a new phase of delivery of local charging at scale.”
