Blaenau Gwent Becomes First Welsh Council to Introduce Home EV Charging for Residents with Street Parking

Sharon, who lives in Ebbw Vale, is the first resident in Wales without a driveway to be able to safely charge her EV from home.

Blaenau Gwent Council has launched a first-of-its-kind trial in Wales of a through-pavement EV charging channel trial, that will make the transition from diesel/petrol cars to electric vehicles easier for residents with on-street parking.

Our system aims to enhance air quality and reduce CO2 emissions across the area. Our EV charging channels enable residents without driveways - which accounts for approximately 40% of Gwent households - to charge their vehicles from their home supply, saving residents up to £1,100 a year on charging costs.

Here's how it works: when a resident wants to charge their car, they simply insert their charging cable into the channel, and the specially designed lid closes behind it like a zip, eliminating unsightly and hazardous cables stretching across footpaths.

Many residents in Blaenau Gwent will not buy an EV until they can safely charge it at home. Sharon (pictured) said: “I was considering moving back to a diesel car because charging my electric car using public charge points costs way more than diesel. Now it costs around £7 per charge and I’m staying with electric!”

Michael Goulden, CEO and Co-founder of Kerbo Charge said: “Congratulations to Blaenau Gwent on moving quickly to make home charging available to residents with street parking – a high percentage of Welsh homes are terraced or semi-detached so offering this technology will make a real difference to many Welsh families”.

Blaenau Gwent is currently trialling the product and any residents interested in taking part should email EVCharging@blaenau-gwent.gov.uk.