The London Borough of Richmond is working with Dragon’s Den-supported firm Kerbo Charge to roll out through-pavement EV charging channels.
Kerbo Charge founders Michael Goulden and Ben Whitaker pitched the product to the BBC’s Dragons’s Den in 2024 and received £50,000 investment from Deborah Meaden.
The home charging solution is for drivers without access to driveways or off-street charging. It allows residents to safely charge electric vehicles through a charging cable laid into the pavement, which closes with a zip to avoid being a trip-hazard.
The rollout of the through-pavement charging channels to Richmond residents allows for off-peak costs of as little as £4, compared to around £25 for public charge points. To date, Kerbo’s technology has been adopted by 30 local authorities.
Kerbo Charge, which is designed and manufactured in the UK, flexes to fit the natural shape of uneven pavements. The firm said this results in “fast, discreet installations with minimum impact on the aesthetic of the street”.
The cost of the installation is £1,350 and residents can take £350 off the cost of their charger by applying for a central government grant.
Deborah Meaden said:
“The best inventions solve widespread problems with simple and cost effective solutions and Kerbo Charge does just that!
“It obviously helps that I am keen to support business that helps pave the way to a more sustainable future and can see that the “Kerbo charge” solution will play an important role in helping local authorities.”
Michael Goulden, CEO and Co-founder of Kerbo Charge said:
“Congratulations to Richmond Council – this is all about removing barriers to EV adoption and tackling the ‘pavement tax’ – the additional cost of owning an EV if you have on-street parking – which is 60% of Londoners!”
Image courtesy of Kerbo Charge
