Enfield Council has launched a pilot of a through-pavement EV charging channel that will make it much easier for residents with street parking to go electric.

Enfield resident Chris Richmond has the confidence to move to electric following the installation of his Kerbo Charge channel

The breakthrough EV charging channels, developed by Kerbo Charge, make it possible for residents with street parking, estimated to be 60% of Enfield households, to safely charge their car from their home supply – working out some five to 10 times cheaper than using public chargers.

The pilot scheme, which is funded by residents, will enable drivers to go electric, helping improve air quality across the borough and reduce CO2 emissions, in line with the council’s climate action targets.

Enfield Council is the first local authority in London to trial the Kerbo Charge system after successful rollouts in several towns and cities across the UK.

When residents charge their car, they insert their charging cable into the channel and the specially designed lid closes behind, just like a zip – eliminating a potential trip hazard from loose cables stretching across public footpaths.

The introduction of the Kerbo Charge channels could save drivers hundreds of pounds per year compared to public chargers. According to Zapmap, the weighted average price to charge an electric car on the UK public charging network in July 2024 was 57p/kWh on slow/fast chargers and 80p/kWh for rapid/ultra-rapid chargers. By way of comparison, Intelligent Octopus Go, said to be the UK’s most popular EV tariff, enables EV drivers to charge for 7p/kW.

Cllr Rick Jewell, cabinet member for transport and waste at Enfield Council, said: “I hope the pilot scheme is a huge success, as it will encourage those thinking of purchasing an EV to do so, as the cost-effective technology will provide residents with a safe and convenient way to charge their vehicles and contribute towards a greener Enfield.”

Local resident Chris Richmond, who is participating in the trial, said: “With the Kerbo Charge solution, I finally have the confidence to sell my petrol car and switch to electric. It’s a game-changer for those of us who live in areas without off-street parking. Using on street public charging was making the switch difficult as the charge costs were expensive, but we can now make the most of cheaper green energy at home”

If the trial proves successful, Enfield Council plans to expand the availability of Kerbo Charge to residents throughout the borough. Residents can express their interest by emailing: fwaychannel@enfield.gov.uk.