An app that enables electric vehicle drivers to access charging points at neighbouring flats and terraces could prove the solution to the challenges facing drivers going electric.

Co Charger connects the ‘host’ or charger owner with motorists who would like to rent their charger

According to estimates, around 40% of drivers don’t have a driveway and will never be able to charge at home.

To solve this, Co Charger connects the ‘host’ or charger owner with motorists who would like to rent their charger. It takes care of bookings and payments, and the charger owner can even charge a bit extra for the electricity and make additional income whilst the ‘chargee’ gets the closest experience possible to home charging, rather than being dependent on public chargers.

The app could play a vital role in supporting EV uptake; independent research by data and analytics expert Dodona Analytics predicts that the current rate of charger installation will leave a shortfall of over 250,000 chargers by 2030.

It says that electric charger sharing is essential to support the UK’s ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by this date. According to the firm’s paper, if only 4% of motorists with a home charger share it with their neighbours living in flats and terraced houses where they can’t have their own charger, then a successful transition to EVs can be achieved – but without it we face a shortfall or ‘charger chasm’ of over 250,000 chargers.

Joel Teague, CEO of Co Charger, said: “With charger sharing, everyone wins. In practice it means a motorist living in a flat can have an arrangement with a nearby neighbour with a driveway to charge at theirs once or twice a week, ideally overnight when tariffs are cheaper. The Host can earn some extra income from renting out their charger, whilst the Chargee gets the nearest possible experience to home charging. Obviously not everyone is in a position to share their charger, for example they might not have anywhere else to put their own car while someone uses it but moving towards a culture of sharing EV chargers will help us hit the UK’s environmental targets sooner rather than later. And the report by Dodona Analytics reveals that only 1 in 25 need to share – surely we can manage that?”