A major problem facing the electric vehicle market is the integration of charge points into existing infrastructure. Charging hubs, electric car parks and home charging are all excellent solutions, but the truth is that these are not practical options for many drivers. Currently, on-street charging is only available in a small number of specific EV charging spots in towns and cities. Councils up and down the country have been working with technology companies to develop new on-street charging solutions which are both practical and maintain the aesthetic of our streets. One such solution has been created by Aberdeen-based Trojan Energy, founded in 2016 as part of the Innovate UK programme.
Last week, Trojan secured £4.1 million of funding to support their development of an on-street system which takes-up less space, is aesthetically pleasing, is practical to use and is embedded into pavements. £1 million of the funding has been raised by business angel syndicate Equity Gap, profit purpose investors SIS Ventures, Aberdeen-based syndicate Alba Equity and the Scottish Investment Bank. The remaining £3.1 million will be created through equity deals with Innovate UK, part of the UK Office of Low Emission vehicles.
The money will allow Trojan to advance testing and obtain certification for its ‘flat and flush’ product. The device will work using a charging ‘lance’ which would be carried by EV drivers and would plug into the street socket much like our electrical sockets at home. The solution may be a huge breakthrough for the 10 million UK residents who do not have access to off-street parking. The first 200 units are due to be fitted in Brent and Camden council areas, London, in early 2021. Moreover, in addition to the UK on-street model, they plan on creating a similar product for home driveways and models which are adapted to European, Indian and Chinese energy grids.
Chief executive Ian Mackenzie said: “This is such an important milestone for Trojan Energy. Ever since we started this business, we have wanted to ensure that the benefits of the low carbon transition can be realised by everyone and not just those with a driveway. With this investment, our vision has moved a step closer. The rewards for our customers and our planet will be massive and prove the point that a big idea and great engineering can change the world.”
We have spoken before on this blog about the importance of developing charging solutions for those who do not own their properties, live in flats or cannot practically install a home charger. Trojan, alongside other companies like Zenoot and Connected Kerb, will be pivotal in making electric vehicles practical for all. We have been working alongside firms like these to help aid the development of new products and to ensure that we can support these solutions are much as possible.
If you are an individual or business owner looking to install an EV charge point, please get in touch. A member of our team would be happy to any questions that you have. Call us on 0141 280 8890 or drop us an email at info@britetechnicalservices.co.uk.
We also have a variety of platforms available with extensive information about electric vehicles (brite-ev.com), EV chargepoints (evchargepoints.com) and EV accessories (briteaccessories.com).