BT, the largest telecommunications company in Britain, announced plans to repurpose its street cabinets, typically used for housing cables, into electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. The initiative begins with a pilot program to convert these cabinets into charging points, starting with an installation in East Lothian, Scotland. BT intends to expand these trials across the UK in the following months. According to BT's findings, a deficiency of charging facilities on British roads is dissuading potential EV buyers, with 38% of drivers expressing they would have already adopted an EV if charging accessibility were improved.
BT cited Zapmap data, indicating 53,906 EV charging points in the UK by December. The government aims to elevate this count to 300,000 by the 2030s. Tom Guy, BT's Etc managing director, highlighted their new initiative as a significant stride towards curbside EV charging and addressing prevalent customer obstacles.
He emphasized their collaboration with local councils in Scotland and across the UK as a crucial phase in tackling genuine customer concerns, aligning with BT's overarching goal to connect for societal benefit. BT clarified its plan to modify the cabinets, incorporating charge points alongside the existing broadband service without necessitating a new power connection. The retrofitting could occur in cabinets supporting current copper broadband or those slated for replacement, contingent upon available space and power, BT added.