Brent Council's Cabinet has approved a trial this week to explore how best to provide affordable electric vehicle (EV) charging for residents without private car parking.
The trial, funded by a £169,000 government grant, aims to gauge the suitability of electric vehicle pavement channels as a way for electric vehicle owners to charge their car from home.
Cross-pavement charging solutions, such as pavement channels, facilitate car use for owners of EVs allowing those without driveways or garages to charge while parked on the street.
Drivers using public charging infrastructure pay 20% in Value Added Tax (VAT) on the electricity they use, while private users are charged just 5%. Home electricity charges can also be cheaper than public chargers. At a time where a number of Brent residents are facing significant cost-of-living pressures, this additional expense can be a barrier to electric car uptake.
The trial will focus particularly on blue-badge holders, many of whom cannot easily travel without a private car. However, other residents may still register their interest in participating. Eligibility criteria and information on how to apply can be found here.
The early results will be reviewed after six months, and if successful, the trial will be expanded to additional locations to use up the remaining government grant received.
After 12 months, a decision will be made on whether to roll it out across the borough for more residents.
