Britain’s Department for Transport (DfT) has tasked the Royal College of Art (RCA) and PA Consulting to deliver a UK chargepoint design.
The design will be unveiled at COP26 in Glasgow this November and could be seen on streets across the country from 2022.
The project is starting as statistics from Zap Map reveal there are now more than 25,000 public charging devices across the UK, which means electric vehicle drivers are never more than 25 miles from a chargepoint on British roads.
This comes as recent statistics from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show more than one in six cars sold in July, 2021 had a plug.
In the run-up to COP26, the UK government is calling on countries around the world to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles.
“Excellent design plays a key role in supporting our transition to zero emission vehicles, which is why I want to see EV chargepoints that are as iconic and recognisable as the British phone box, London bus or black cab,” said British Secretary of State for Transport, Grant Shapps.
“With less than 3 months to go until COP26, we continue to put the UK at the forefront of the design, manufacture and use of zero emission vehicles and their charging infrastructure, as we build back greener and call on countries around the world to similarly accelerate the transition to electric vehicles.”
The announcement follows the launch of the government’s transport decarbonisation plan, published earlier this summer, which sets out a path for the UK to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
“This is an opportunity to support the design of a future icon that will be part of our national culture,” added RCA head of Service Design, Clive Grinyer.
“The RCA has been at the forefront of shaping our products, mobility and services for the last 180 years.”
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/electric-vehicle-chargepoints-set-to-become-next-great-british-emblem