Britain's green communication cabinets, a common sight on local streets, are going greener in a new trial to transition them into electric vehicle charging points.

London

Britain is spearheading an innovative approach to bolster its electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure by converting ubiquitous green communication cabinets into charging points. These traditional telecom boxes, which have been a familiar feature on British streets, are being repurposed in a pioneering trial. This initiative aims to utilize these cabinets, which currently house broadband and phone cables for telecom behemoth BT, especially as they become superfluous with the nationwide rollout of fibre technology.

The trial is focused on making efficient use of existing infrastructure to support the UK's ambitious drive towards net zero emissions. With electric vehicles on the rise, this project addresses the prevalent issue of 'range anxiety' among EV drivers—where the fear of not finding a charging station can deter long-distance travel. According to feedback from Craig Wright, an EV driver from Haddington, Scotland, the assurance of readily available charging options significantly eases the worries associated with EV travel.

Statistics from BT highlight a tangible barrier to EV adoption in the UK: the limited number of charging stations. Research conducted by the company revealed that nearly 40% of British drivers would consider switching to electric if access to charging points were improved. As of the last data collection, there were approximately 54,000 charging points across the UK. However, in alignment with government targets, there's an ambition to increase this to 300,000 by the 2030s.

The ongoing cabinet-to-charger conversion trial is managed by BT’s innovation hub, Etcetera. Currently, the initiative offers free charging at its first trial site to residents until the end of May, with details on pricing, availability, and charging speeds accessible via a dedicated app.

Supporting the push for a comprehensive EV charging network, Fiona Hyslop, Scotland's cabinet secretary for transport, emphasizes the importance of expanding charge point access beyond city centers to peripheral areas. This strategy aims to alleviate the necessity for drivers to travel far for charging, facilitating easier transitions to electric vehicles.

Looking ahead, BT plans to extend this initiative into West Yorkshire and has identified up to 600 potential sites across the UK for the next stages of the trial.



Britain transforms telecom boxes into EV charges

British telecom boxes are being transformed into electric vehicle charging stations. The green cabinets are a common sight on British streets. They store broadband and phone cables for telecom giant BT, but are becoming redundant as the company rolls out fibre. So, the idea behind a new pilot project is to make the green boxes a little greener. And this seemed like a really good opportunity to reuse the points of power, reuse some existing street furniture and help contribute towards that drive towards net zero. Craig Wright is an EV driver who lives in Haddington, Scotland. He knows all too well the worry that can come from searching for a place to charge. I think that when you're planning a journey, especially a long distance journey, it helps to have provision. So, that's the main thing driving an EV is kind of range anxiety and not knowing if you're going to get a charge to get back home, that sort of thing. And he's not alone. BT says its research shows some British drivers don't want to go electric because of a shortage of charging stations. Nearly 40 percent said they'd have an EV already if charging were less of an issue. There were nearly 54,000 charge points across the UK at the end of last year, according to figures quoted by BT from ZapMap. But the government wants to boost that number to 300,000 by the 2030s. BT's startup incubation hub, called Etcetera, is running the cabinet trial. This is its first charge point and residents can use it for free until the end of May. Information about pricing, availability and charging speeds is available on an app. We know we've got to expand EV charging. Fiona Hyslop is Scotland's cabinet secretary for transport. She says it will help EV drivers outside of cities. We know that we can get EV chargers in town centres. Actually, on the periphery of towns, that can be the best place that people can go to so they don't have to drive somewhere else to charge their car. BT is planning to expand the project into the English county of West Yorkshire next. It's eyeing 600 trial sites across the UK. For more stories, visit nyseagrant.co.uk

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