The London Borough of Barnet has started the installation of 1,000 new on-street electric vehicle (EV) charging points in collaboration with UK chargepoint operator char.gy, aiming to increase the borough’s total charging infrastructure to 2,500 units.
Work on the first 500 chargers is already underway and is expected to be completed within three months, Barnet Council said in a statement on Thursday. The remaining 500 charge points will be installed over the following three years.
The units are lamppost-mounted chargers developed by char.gy, which can be retrofitted to existing streetlights. The devices, which provide 5kW AC charging, are designed for kerbside use in areas without off-street parking, with the aim of promoting EV adoption among residents. A low-rate night tariff will be offered to encourage overnight charging.
The initiative is partly funded by £800,000 in grants from the UK government’s On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS), which covered 60% of the total project cost. The remaining investment was provided by char.gy.
“Barnet is showing real leadership with this rollout – making it easier for people to make the switch to electric by ensuring charging is available right outside their homes,” said John Lewis, CEO of char.gy. “We’re excited to be delivering one of our largest borough-wide installations yet… By working closely with councils like this, we’re making EV charging simple, fair, and accessible to all.”
The char.gy units offer charging rates of 5.3kW, 7kW, or 22kW and can be accessed using the company’s mobile app, QR code scan, Apple or Google Pay, or through roaming partners. In Barnet, the council has opted to deploy the 5kW variant for the current rollout.
The project is part of a broader effort by UK local authorities to expand public charging infrastructure, particularly in residential neighborhoods where EV drivers may not have access to private driveways or garages.