Blaenau Gwent becomes first Welsh council to introduce home EV charging for residents with street parking

04/09/2024

Author: Mankirat Kaur

Blaenau Gwent Council has launched a first-of-its-kind trial in Wales of a through-pavement EV charging channel trial, that will make the transition from diesel/petrol cars to electric vehicles easier for residents with on-street parking.

Sharon, who lives in Ebbw Vale, is the first resident in Wales without a driveway to be able to safely charge her EV from home.

Their system aims to enhance air quality and reduce CO2 emissions across the area. Our EV charging channels enable residents without driveways - which accounts for approximately 40% of Gwent households - to charge their vehicles from their home supply, saving residents up to £1,100 a year on charging costs.

Here's how it works: when a resident wants to charge their car, they simply insert their charging cable into the channel, and the specially designed lid closes behind it like a zip, eliminating unsightly and hazardous cables stretching across footpaths.

Many residents in Blaenau Gwent will not buy an EV until they can safely charge it at home. Sharon (pictured) said: “I was considering moving back to a diesel car because charging my electric car using public charge points costs way more than diesel. Now it costs around £7 per charge and I’m staying with electric!”

Michael Goulden, CEO and co-founder of Kerbo Charge said: “Congratulations to Blaenau Gwent on moving quickly to make home charging available to residents with street parking – a high percentage of Welsh homes are terraced or semi-detached so offering this technology will make a real difference to many Welsh families”.