UK electric vehicle (EV) chargepoint operator Connected Kerb has announced the rollout of smart charging across its public network, following a successful trial last year.
Reportedly a first-of-its-kind deployment, Connected Kerb’s smart charging enables drivers to schedule charging during off-peak hours when energy is cheapest and greenest – typically between 12am and 7am.
According to Connected Kerb, this is the first time scheduled charging during off-peak hours has become available on a public charging network.
The rollout, set to begin in April, will see the majority of Connected Kerb’s chargepoints – 6,000 installed and 4,000 to be deployed this year – activated to be capable of smart charging by 2025.
The first areas to benefit from Connected Kerb’s smart charging rollout will be the regions of West Sussex, Lincoln, Scarborough, Ryedale, and Sunderland.
Joy Dennis, cabinet member for highways and transport at West Sussex County Council, said: “This rollout is a genuine step towards a more equitable and sustainable charging system for West Sussex.
“Our agreement with Connected Kerb to launch smart charging capability across the county will act as a roadmap for other councils, increasing access to smart charging for all.”
According to Connected Kerb, VAT on the public charging network is currently set at four times the cost of home charging, meaning that drivers reliant on the public network are faced with additional costs.
However, the company’s new public smart charging offering will see overnight tariffs of £0.45 per kWh – some 22.4% lower than the average rate of the UK’s fast (7-22kW AC) charging network, reportedly resulting in potential annual savings of up to £222 on charging per vehicle – equivalent to 495 EV miles – and £1.5bn for drivers collectively by 2030.
Smart charging on Connected Kerb’s network will be available to users through its recently updated mobile app, enabling the setup of overnight charging.
The app features session tracking, providing users with live updates, so drivers can track their charging remotely, and displays recommended chargepoints, as well as those in use.
The network-wide rollout of smart charging comes after Connected Kerb’s government-backed trial of public smart charging, Agile Streets, which revealed that peak energy demand could be cut by 240MW by 2030.
The announcement also follows the recent news of Connected Kerb’s partnership with South Tyneside Council, with plans to more than double the number of public chargepoints in the North East.
The partnership will see up to 2,100 chargepoints installed – marking what’s claimed to be single largest rollout of chargers in the North of England to date.
Achievements and innovations in EV charging infrastructure will be celebrated at the third annual CiTTi Awards, which will be held on 26 November 2024 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Nominations are open now! Please visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector.
