THE Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps MP, has unveiled a new design of electric vehicle charger.
Shown for the first time at the UK Pavilion at COP26, the UK government hopes the design will be as a familiar part of the street furniture as the Great British post box or the black cab.
The electric vehicle charger concept has been designed together with the Royal College of Art and PA Consulting with a focus on inclusivity and ease of use, and designed for consumers, local government, accessibility groups and industry.
The government says that the design concept will provide greater choice to industry and local government, as well as raise awareness and generate excitement around electric vehicles. You can watch the unveiling on the Department of Transport Twitter social media feed below:
Introducing Britain’s latest iconic design 🚗⚡️
Designed in collaboration between the @RCA and @PA_Consulting this new #EV charger will be seen across the country, ensuring we stay on track to become a global leader in #ZeroEmission motoring. https://t.co/cS5QuCG77d#COP26 pic.twitter.com/6REp4kq0Xx
— Department for Transport (@transportgovuk) November 10, 2021
Commenting on the design, Clive Grinyer, Head of our MA Service Design at the Royal College of Art, said:
This design is a landmark in our journey to electric vehicles and zero carbon. We have listened to people around the country who asked to have a minimum impact on their streets, to ensure that it works well for disabled and all people and that we bring the UK’s design and engineering talent to create an iconic design that we can all be proud of.
Dan Toon, PA Design And Innovation Expert, added:
We know that excellent design has the power to dismantle barriers to growth and simplify the user experience. For chargepoints, this means making the switch to electric vehicles more attractive, accessible, affordable and secure for drivers without negatively impacting pedestrians and other road users.
There are no details as to the sort of charge rates the street charger can provide EV drivers, but the design offers a single tethered charger with a round handset that sits proud of the base.
The designers say the charger is affordable to produce and sustainable in design.
The government is outlawing the sale of all new petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030 before introducing zero emission motoring in 2035. If your SME business is reluctant to move to an electrified future, read our Report Updates Facts On EV Driving which tackles a range of EV myths.
Watch The Video On The Design And Creative Thinking Behind The New Electric Vehicle Charger
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