On-street electric vehicle charging scheme launched

A scheme that will allow residents without off-street parking to charge their electric vehicles outside their own home has been unveiled.

The Oxfordshire County Council project will see charging cable channels installed outside the homes of 500 people who do not have their own driveway.

It is believed to be the largest scheme of its kind in the UK, and is being partially funded by a £700,000 grant from central government.

Guy Hargreaves, who took part in a similar but smaller trial in 2022, said his charging channel "works so brilliantly" that he "can't find a single fault".

"The charging channel allows us to minimise the use of commercial chargers, whose rates are still a little too high at present," Mr Hargreaves, from Summertown, said.

He added that being able to charge at home was "safe and convenient".

The council said the charging channels were an "affordable and practical solution" for people without off street parking who wanted to switch their petrol or diesel car to an electric one.

Councillor Judy Roberts, the authority's environment chief, said: "A third of Oxfordshire householders don't have off street parking, so we believe this could be a real game-changer and give residents the confidence to switch to an electric vehicle (EV)."

"Being able to access home electricity rates and park in your usual spot are the sorts of things that are likely to make EV ownership a reality for many local people," she added.

As part of the scheme, residents would pay the council £300 to cover the cost of a site survey, the installation of a channel and a two-year licence to use it.

Following the second year, those taking part would have to pay about £100 each year, which the council said would cover operating costs.

The project is part of a wider council scheme that will see at least 1,200 public EV chargers installed across the county by the end of 2027.

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