Monday 8 January 2024

Old street cabinets repurposed for EV charging

Etc., the startup and digital incubation arm of BT Group, announced plans to transform obsolete street cabinets into electric vehicle (EV) charging points.

The initiative responds to the perceived inadequacy of the current EV charging infrastructure in the UK, with a reported 60% of people expressing dissatisfaction.

The pilot project, commencing in East Lothian, Scotland, aims to explore the technical, commercial, and operational aspects of converting up to 60,000 street cabinets into EV charging stations.

The solution involves retrofitting cabinets with a device that allows renewable energy sharing to an EV charge point alongside existing broadband services.

The process requires no new power connection.

The effort aligns with the UK Government's goal to increase the number of charging points from the current 53,000 to 300,000 by 2030.

The company will evaluate various considerations during the trials, including cabinet location, power availability, customer accessibility and the overall digital customer experience.

Tom Guy, Managing Director, Etc. at BT Group said: "Our new charging solution is a huge step in bringing EV charging kerbside and exploring how we can address key barriers customers are currently facing.

"Working closely with local councils in Scotland and more widely across the UK, we are at a critical stage of our journey in tackling a very real customer problem that sits at the heart of our wider purpose to connect for good."