Little black boxes have started to appear on lampposts across a UK city. They are charging points for electric vehicles that tap into the power source for the lamppost itself, and can charge parked cars overnight.
A total of 150 new charging points are being installed in Bristol, but one former mayor of the city has questioned how effective they will be, as the on-street parking spaces next to them are not reserved for electric vehicles. There is also concern among electric vehicle owners, who – unless they have their own driveway and can charge their vehicles using their own electricity – are already aware of the different prices and speeds at charging points around the city. The first EV lamppost charging points began appearing in December, but are now being installed at a greater frequency. They are mainly in the Victorian terraced streets, where people don’t have their own driveways and there are plenty of lampposts. Those using the charging points will need their own cables, sign up for the Fuuse app, and be able to park next to the lamppost.
George Ferguson, the former mayor of Bristol, told BristolLive: “Charging points are welcome, but are only useful if they come with clear parking restrictions.”
On social media, the main concern is the cost. Fuuse chargers cost 55p per kilowatt hour, but the chargers themselves only deliver 3.4 kilowatts to a car’s battery, according to Bristol City Council. That means it will almost certainly take a whole evening and night to fully charge an average electric vehicle.
Electric vehicle drivers generally pay more for a faster charge. The cost of using one of the many BP Pulse charging stations varies from 52p per kilowatt hour to 89p, depending on how quickly the charge takes.
The slowest BP Pulse provides is 7kW – more than twice as fast as the Fuuse street chargers for around the same cost, while ‘ultrafast’ charging costs 69p a kWhour and can charge a car in a matter of minutes.
Most people with EV chargers in their homes get between 3.5 kW and 7.5 kW, which will easily charge a vehicle in the early morning hours. The owner of a typical EV car charging it at home is paying around 28p per kWh, meaning an average 60 kWh battery will cost around £17 to fully charge overnight.
Charging a car overnight using a new council lamppost charger will cost around £33 for a full charge. It will be less if the battery isn’t empty or if the driver needs it before it’s fully charged.
“It’s a great idea in principle, and we’ve all been saying this should be a thing for years, but it’s pretty expensive for what you get, and it needs to be on every lamppost,” said one EV user.
The roll-out across Bristol is part of the City Leap project – a multi-million-pound partnership between Bristol City Council and the US firm Ameresco.
Cllr Ed Plowden (Green, Windmill Hill) said: “The new lamppost chargers are part of Bristol’s ongoing ambition to reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, and make it easier for residents to switch to low-emission vehicles.”
He is the chair of Bristol City Council’s Transport and Connectivity Committee, which is tasked with making the city’s transport infrastructure more environmentally-friendly.
Plowden added: “Through the Bristol City Leap partnership with Ameresco, the city is investing in accessible, reliable on-street charging to help support these long-term goals.”
Mayor of the West of England, Helen Godwin, described the rollout of 150 lampposts with car plugs as a ‘useful step forward’. She said: “Green electric buses are already making a difference across the West, cutting pollution and improving journeys – with more on the way.
“Our new Transport Vision sets out the direction of travel for our region, including increasing the number of chargers to support the growing number of other electric vehicles.
“These 150 new charging points through lampposts are a useful step forward for people in Bristol as we work together to deliver our wider transport ambitions, with almost £500,000 more funding already secured to enable all of our councils to enhance charging facilities.”
