How the Other Half Charge

from EV Powered Magazine - MARCH 2022 EDITION

The Everything EV Podcast

15 OPINION

HOW THE OTHER HALF CHARGE

Anne Snelson, head of marketing for Co Charger, discusses the role of community charging amidst the continued cry for more public charging infrastructure.

There’s a huge number of motorists living in flats, terraces and rented homes that would get rid of their fossil fuel car and transition to electric tomorrow if they could. What’s stopping them? For some it’s price, but second hand EVs are available.

For others, it’s concerns about range anxiety linked to not being able to have an EV charger of their own. Many are reluctant to depend totally on the public charging network. It’s understandable. Even in London, according to the Dept for Transport, there is only one public charger per 1,000 population, and that’s double the level of anywhere else in the UK. On top of this, public charge point distribution across the UK is patchy and they might not have any nearby chargers. Even if they do, most public chargers aren’t bookable. So, if they can’t find one that’s free, the luckless driver might end up having to cruise around their neighbourhood in search of one that’s both available and working and then make a decision about whether they’re going to sit around in their car for an extended period while it charges – or walk home and then come back to collect it later.

Even in London, according to the Dept for “ Transport, there is only one public charger per 1,000 population, and that’s double the level of anywhere else in the UK. ”

HELPFUL HOSTS AND LONELY CHARGERS

Motorists with an electric vehicle charger can effortlessly change all that. All it takes is becoming a community charging ‘host’ and renting out their charger to their neighbours. Community charge point sharing is when someone makes their charger available to neighbours for regular, dependable charging via an app. Co Charger is the only purposebuilt Community Charging app and it connects charger owners ‘hosts’ with motorists wanting to rent their charger ‘Chargees’. The app then handles matchmaking, bookings and payments. Charger sharing is easy, and the host is in control. They can prioritise their own charging schedule and only offer booking slots that suit them. And it’s not about having strangers come onto their property, just a few neighbours who will mostly make regular bookings so they become familiar. Most home electric vehicle chargers are only used a couple of times a week. The rest of the time they are lonely and neglected. There are an estimated 29,000 public charge points and over 400,000 home ones. So, we’re looking at a situation where the pressure on the public charging network is growing as EV uptake increases and at the same time home EV chargers are standing idle, an under-used resource. Charger owners will also have paid anything from £600 to well over £1000 to buy and install it, whether directly or as part of a package with their car. By putting the charger to work via community charging the host can earn some of that cost back. And also know that they are helping create greener communities, fighting climate change – and winning the gratitude of their neighbours!

Eastbourne EV owner, Leila Swansborough, said: “I think Co-Charger is a great idea. I’m in my 30s and so many people my age would love to go electric but live in flats like me and can’t have a charger of their own. Co Charger means they can make the switch. Co-Charger makes it easy for me to charge my electric car and the price is very reasonable. I also feel it brings me closer to my community and to like-minded people.” The move towards Community Charging is accelerating and it’s supported by AA President Edmund King, who said: “More emphasis needs to be given to the third of households with no dedicated parking provision whose residents may struggle to charge their EVs. “This is where community charging and charge point sharing has a massive role to play. This will be a positive way of levelling up, so we can give power to all electric drivers, no matter where they live.”

Co-Charger makes it easy for me to charge my electric car “ and the price is very reasonable. I also feel it brings me closer to my community and to likeminded people. ”

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