UK: Vauxhall introduces off-street charging programme

Vauxhall has set up the ‘Electric Streets of Britain’ programme to help drivers without driveways charge their vehicles and not be left behind in the transition to electric mobility.

The plan is to work with charging operators char.gy, Connected Kerb and SureCharge and set up an ‘Enablement Fund’ to help councils understand the scale of on-street charging issues, and the solutions available. This is particularly important as the British government plans to ban the sale of new ICE cars in 2030. In addition, Vauxhall has also set up a new national database for the public to register their charging needs, in order to enable councils to have a better understanding of where demand for on-street charging for both existing and potential EV drivers.

Currently, Stellantis estimates that “approximately 40% of UK households do not have a driveway or access to off-street parking, a figure that rises to 60% in urban areas.” Here, the company suggests that lamp post chargers may provide a solution, as they are easy to install, and would not take up additional space in the city. London has already been investing in this area, as Stellantis writes: “With 12,708 residential on-street residential charge points installed to date and a further 6,397 planned to be installed over the next year, London will soon be home to 19,105 on-street charge points.”

“Accessibility to charge points near your home is critical to the transition to electric vehicle ownership in the UK. We want to galvanise the needs and interests of everyone, from the public, to the councils and the charging operators to make sure that anyone without a driveway is part of that journey,” said James Taylor, Managing Director of Vauxhall, adding: “We want to help educate and inform the decision-makers, and enable the installation of more chargers, more quickly.”

stellantis.com, electricstreets.co.uk (database)