NEW on-street electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints are now live for testing in the London boroughs of Brent and Camden in a project has been led by energy consultancy Element Energy, an ERM Group company, and will result in local EV drivers trialling 150 new on-street chargepoints.
The innovative chargepoints, designed by Trojan Energy, sit flat and flush with the pavement so have no permanent raised structure. This technology will provide vital on-street charging for those without driveways or garages, whilst keeping streets clear of additional clutter.
Ten sets of 15 charge points are installed on six streets in Brent and four streets in Camden. Currently nine streets are live, with the final street in Camden due to be operational later this year. More than 150 EV drivers have signed-up to use the technology, with the trial scheduled to run for several months. If the trial is successful and passes council consultation, the system will remain in use for years to come.
Trojan Energy designed the unique flat and flush charging system for those without access to off-street parking. Importantly, Disability Rights UK provided design input to improve usability for all drivers and increase safety for all street users.
The full launch of the trial is a key milestone in the three-year Subsurface Technology for Electric Pathways (STEP) project, funded by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and delivered by Innovate UK, which has seen the charge points developed from concept, through manufacturing and now deployment.
Element Energy has designed surveys for trial participants alongside academic partners from the Institute of Transport Studies at the University of Leeds to evaluate the success of the project. Success will not only be defined by feedback from local EV drivers using the technology, but additionally by more than 150 nearby non-trial residents providing their feedback on the new infrastructure in their area. Results from this research will feed into Trojan Energy’s future deployment strategy of these innovative chargepoints.
Key electricity industry project partners have brought their expertise to the team. UK Power Networks has provided the connections to the electricity network and assisted in finding the balance between power and availability for the systems. Octopus Energy has brought its innovation team’s expertise in areas such
as tariffs and metering and is Trojan’s ongoing 100% renewable energy supply partner.
