BT Group powers up first EV charger using cabinet

The charger, deriving power from a cabinet owned by BT Group typically utilised for broadband and telephone cabling storage, constitutes part of a nationwide trial by the company's start-up incubation hub, Etc.

The initiative aims to tackle the deficiency in public EV charging infrastructure and was first announced in January 2024, where it was explained the purpose of the trial was to assess the feasiblity of scaling up this solution. The UK Government's aim is to expand the number of charge points from 53,000 to 300,000 by 2030, to support a growing electric vehicle industry, but issues about accessing a nearby charging port remain a hurdle and in some instances, a deterrent from drivers buying electric cars.

The first charger has been installed in East Lothian, Scotland, intended for use by local residents who can charge their electric vehicles at no expense until 31st May as part of the pilot. The subsequent phase of the trial will concentrate on West Yorkshire, with aspirations to extend to 600 trial sites across the UK. Facilitating ease of use for EV drivers, the charge point can be accessed via the trial app available for download from the App Store or Google Play Store.

“This is an exciting and innovative development in the provision of electric vehicle charging so I’m really pleased that the first trial in the UK is taking place in East Lothian," said Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Transport at the Scottish Government. “This government is committed to supporting people to make the switch from petrol and diesel vehicles, and our vision for Scotland’s future public EV charging network highlights the need for private sector finance and delivery to build on our significant investment in the network to date.

“I’m really looking forward to seeing more partnership working like this as we continue to help people in Scotland to make greener transport choices.”

“East Lothian Council has a strong track record of supporting innovative vehicle charging solutions in public places to accelerate the transition to an electric future. During the design of this trial we worked with BT Group to ensure the charger would be fully accessible, and that trailing cables would not get in the way of pedestrians and others using the pavement," added Norman Hampshire, East Lothian Council Leader. “We are pleased that BT Group is supplementing the wide range of public chargers in East Lothian as this allows the Council to focus on its public service role of providing charging options in areas less attractive to commercial operators. Use of electric vehicles supports the council’s ambitions to reduce emissions, promote sustainable travel solutions and enhance the local environment.”

The app, developed by the Etc. team in collaboration with EV drivers, incorporates features most requested by users, including the visibility of EV chargers nationwide, real-time pricing, availability, and charge speed, as well as the ability to stop, start, and monitor charge sessions through the app. Additionally, users can filter by connector type, kW speed, and charging network.

EV owners can sync their EV with the app to receive live updates on battery levels, smart estimated costs and charge times, and access their charging history. Throughout the trial period, Etc. at BT Group will test various elements ranging from the digital customer experience to engineering and technology choices, planning and local engagement, as well as operational and commercial options. With Zapmap data indicating only 5052 public EV chargers in Scotland, Etc. has identified approximately 4800 street cabinets in Scotland that could potentially undergo upgrades to meet the escalating demand.

“With our research showing that 78% of petrol and diesel drivers see not being able to conveniently charge an EV as a key a barrier to purchasing one, and the UK behind government-set sustainability targets, it’s critical that we start looking at existing infrastructure to drive innovation at speed. These trials present a unique opportunity to tap into existing assets to drive the important transition to electrification in the UK, and we’re proud to be working with local councils in East Lothian and more widely across the UK at this critical stage to play our part," concluded Tom Guy, Managing Director, Etc, BT Group.