Charging pilot to help EV drivers without off-road parking

A council pilot scheme will enable electric vehicle (EV) drivers, without a driveway, to charge their plug-in car or van at home.

Thirty properties without off-street parking in County Durham have been chosen by the county council to take part.

Installed by Kerbo Charge, a cable channel is cut into the pavement and covered with a flap to avoid being a trip hazard.

The first installation has been carried out at a property in Crook.

Cllr John Shuttleworth, Durham County Council cabinet member for highways, rural communities, and community safety, said: “We decided to be involved in the pilot after residents living in properties without driveways got in touch with us about seeking a solution to charge their electric vehicles.

“Their properties were checked for suitability before a programme of installation was planned and a contribution towards the install was agreed.”

County Durham has many terraced streets and properties without driveways. “Whilst we have installed hundreds of publicly accessible electric vehicle charge points in every area in the county, this solution will allow residents to access electric vehicle charging at home, making it easier for more people to drive an electric vehicle and reduce their carbon emissions,” he added.

Helen Embleton, whose home is part of the pilot, said she was “very happy” to be part of the pilot having just acquired an EV.

“It really helped solve a practical challenge and I'm extremely pleased with the result,” she said.

Other local authorities in the region were invited to see the first installation with a view to it being installed wider following the pilot.

If the pilot is effective, the scheme will be offered to all residents in the county with a suitable property who will be given the option to pay towards the installation.

Emma Loveday, senior fleet consultant at Volkswagen Financial Services Fleet, said: “Not all fleet drivers will be able to install a home charging point.

“The Durham County Council scheme means residents without a driveway can still have a home charger installed on their property and be able to charge their electric vehicle at home.

“With more properties being able to have a home charger, this increases the number of chargers that can be made available to others to use via community charging.

“For those in urban areas where space can be a challenge and driveways not as prevalent, and in rural areas where public charging options are thin on the ground, Kerbo Charge cables can support in expanding the network of EV charging points and reducing charging anxiety in EV fleet users.”

Airbnb approach towards electric vehicle charging

Loveday believes that an ‘Airbnb’ approach towards charging could also help support UK public charging infrastructure.

She said: “Introducing an Airbnb style of community charging, whereby private individuals make their own home chargers available to others when not in use, could help alleviate some of the anxiety facing EV owners and the industry regarding the speed of the infrastructure rollout.”