Connected Kerb To Add 10,000 EV Chargers In West Sussex

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Connected Kerb is an EV charging company in the UK that specializes in on-street and other public  charging solutions. “Knowing you can arrive at virtually any location at any time in any vehicle and cheaply charge your battery without inconvenience or faff is the reality we have to deliver to create an EV society,” says its CEO, Chris Pateman-Jones.

“Our rollout of public chargers — one of the most ambitious the UK has ever seen — encapsulates that future, helping individuals and businesses to confidently make the switch to electric, reducing their carbon footprint and cutting air pollution.”

The company says the new chargers will be installed along streets, in public car parks, and at community facilities by 2030 and will be the UK’s largest ever deployment of EV chargers by a local authority. It expects to sign a contract for an additional 30,000 chargers with other municipalities soon. It’s all part of its £1.9 billion plan to have 190,000 chargers in place in the UK by 2030, according to Autocar.

Decarbonizing Transportation

“Targets are important — for an industry so critical to the decarbonization of transport, we need goals to work towards and objectives to which we are all accountable. However, they need to be met with action. With deals confirmed for 10,000 chargers this year alone and 30,000 more expected next year, we are demonstrating that we’re getting on with the job and delivering the change that needs to happen — not just talking about it.”

The government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles OZEV meets 75% of the cost of charger installations through the On-Street Residential Charging Scheme (ORCS). Connected Kerb funds the remaining 25%, allowing for a “zero-cost installation opportunity” for councils.

The Kent County Council says it also has chosen Connected Kerb to deploy at least 600 chargers by 2023. Installations will begin this year, with many being installed in parish towns and rural areas, which Connected Kerb says will provide “much-needed infrastructure to communities often overlooked in the EV transition.” Connected Kerb has announced deals to supply chargers in Cambridge, Coventry, Medway, Milton Keynes, Plymouth, and Warrington.

Transport secretary Trudy Harrison says, ”Providing reliable and affordable on-street charging is vital as we work to decarbonize transport and level up across the country. It’s great to see Connected Kerb and local authorities working together as the government commits £2.5 billion towards electric vehicle grants and the development of EV infrastructure in our towns and cities.”

Many of the Connected Kerb chargers will be on-street units. “Currently  there are only around 1,000 public access on-street chargers outside of London and just one for every 52 EVs on UK roads. As a result, those without off-street parking or a dedicated parking space with domestic power supply — accounting for 62% of drivers — are being left behind in the EV transition,” the company says.

A Comprehensive & Connected System

The Connected Kerb system is a comprehensive charging ecosystem designed to meet the needs of today and tomorrow. The company says, “Our technology is a two-part solution. Our smart cities system is comprised of a Power & Data Pack that is sunk beneath the pavement and housed in a protective steel box and the visible, above-ground charge point socket. The subterranean componentry provides access to both power and data, which enables an array of different hardware and software products.

“Today, this means that we can support EV charge point technologies, environmental and air quality management sensors, parking management sensors and varied payment platforms. Tomorrow, these same smart city boxes will power the data needed to drive advanced mobility and transportation technologies.”

The Connected Kerb technology is aimed primarily at the need for long-dwell charging at power levels of between 7 and 22 kW. The intent is to provide convenient charge point infrastructure anywhere people will park for a long period of time — whether at work, at home, staying overnight in a hotel, leisure parks, etc. “Long-dwell charging is crucial to promoting and accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles at the rate required,” the company says.

There are many issues with public chargers being broken so when an EV driver goes to use them, they don’t work. Connected Kerb has a solution. “Our advanced software automatically monitors your chargers 24/7, allowing issues to be resolved immediately and remotely. This means no disruption to drivers or your ROI.”

A Seamless Charging Experience

The company also manages billing seamlessly in the background. “We apply no joining, membership, or connection charges and our prices average £0.23 per kW, which is 23% lower than the national average of over £0.30 per kW. With our consolidated billing system, you can easily manage access and usage and incentivize usage thanks to adjustable tariffs. Our automated, on-demand reporting allows you to have a full overview of charging sessions and the data that matters to your council while helping you manage charging according to the who is using the charging equipment — e.g. taxi drivers, NHS, council fleet vehicles, etc.”

Charging for everyone made easy. That sounds like a recipe for success!


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Steve Hanley

Steve writes about the interface between technology and sustainability from his home in Florida or anywhere else The Force may lead him. He is proud to be "woke" and doesn't really give a damn why the glass broke. He believes passionately in what Socrates said 3000 years ago: "The secret to change is to focus all of your energy not on fighting the old but on building the new." You can follow him on Substack and LinkedIn but not on Fakebook or any social media platforms controlled by narcissistic yahoos.

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