Chargepoint operator Believ is working with Luton Council to roll out EV sockets in the town.
The firm has just installed 10 fast (8-49kW) devices in Luton, with the sockets designed for residents in council houses without the ability to charge at home.
Around 35% of Lutonians lack driveways, with Believ chief executive Guy Bartlett saying it is “vital” these residents are not “left behind” as electric cars are mandated by government.
Bartlett comments: “By expanding the network, we’re helping more residents make the switch. It will also help reduce road transport emissions and support cleaner air for all across the community.”
Luton Council wants to be net carbon neutral by 2040, with councillor Adrees Latif, who is the authority’s ’portfolio holder’ for sustainable development and highways, saying the new chargers form part of the councils’ work in helping residents make “more sustainable travel choices”.
But while Believ and Luton Council may be doing their best to install the facilities that are essential for electric cars to work, no solutions have been offered to reduce the cost differential between public and domestic charging.
Believ’s 11kW Luton chargers cost 52p per kWh, so using them to refill the batteries of a typical EV like the Renault 5 from empty would cost £26.52. By comparison, a resident with a driveway and a smart tariff could pay as little as £3.64 for the same amount of electricity.
