BT Trials Kerbside Cabinet EV Charging Points

BT, the telecommunications company, is considering entering the electric vehicle (EV) charging business by testing a plan to install charge points alongside the kerbside cabinets used for telecoms connections. This move is seen as a significant step towards bringing EV charging closer to the kerbside and addressing the key barriers that customers currently face, according to Tom Guy, the managing director of Etc, BT's startup and digital incubation arm.

During the trials, Etc will explore various technical, commercial, and operational aspects of implementing this EV charge point network. One of the key features of the charging solution is the retrofitting of the cabinets with a device that allows renewable energy to be shared with the charge point, utilizing the existing broadband service without the need for a new power connection.

The EV charging can be deployed to cabinets that are currently in use for copper broadband services or those that are due for retirement, depending on the available space and power capacity of the unit. As the nationwide full fibre rollout progresses, the broadband equipment in the cabinet can be recycled once it is no longer needed, allowing for the addition of more EV charge points. This approach enables the reuse of existing infrastructure while rapidly deploying more charge points.

BT currently has 60,000 kerbside cabinets, while the number of EV chargers in the UK stands at 53,906. The government has set a target of having 300,000 charging points by 2030.