BT Group is trialing a new electric vehicle charging point housed within a street cabinet traditionally used to store broadband and telephone cabling. 

The move marks the start of a new pilot for the systems, which could see up to 60,000 cabinets transformed into charging points for EVs. 

The pilot will look at how repurposing ‘existing street furniture’ could help to address the lack of on-street chargers for the UK’s electric vehicle drivers. The trials - undertaken by Etc, the startup and digital incubation arm of BT Group - will take into account a number of considerations, including technical, civic planning and commercial possibilities. It’ll also look at whether the process would continue as a BT Group venture, or in partnership with other charging providers. 

Tom Guy, chief executive of Etc at BT Group says “Our new charging solution is a huge step in bringing EV charging kerbside and exploring how we can address key barriers customers are currently facing. 

“Working closely with local councils in Scotland and more widely across the UK, we are at a critical stage of our journey in tackling a very real customer problem that sits at the heart of our wider purpose to connect for good.”  

“This is a key step in our mission to build products and services right now that work for the future, with positive transformation at the heart.” 

It works by retrofitting the cabinets to provide a charge point alongside the existing broadband with no need for an additional power connection. It means that EV chargers can be fitted to cabinets that are still in use for broadband connections - or those which are about to be decommissioned - depending on the space and power available to each unit.