Charged EVs | Isle of Wight to deploy 1,500 EV chargers

The Isle of Wight is a picturesque island just off the southern coast of England—it’s mainly known for its mild climate, coastal scenery and verdant rural landscape. Among the isle’s many seasonal visitors was Charles Dickens, who is said to have worked on David Copperfield, considered his most autobiographical novel, while staying on the island.

Modern writers and others seeking inspiration from the island’s natural beauty will soon find it easier to visit in their EVs—and going electric will be more attractive for local residents as well. The Isle of Wight, which has about 140,000 residents and over 2 million annual visitors, is about to become a real-world testing ground for curbside charging.

Curbside EV charging specialist char.gy has been awarded a contract by Isle of Wight Council to design, install and maintain a network of over 1,500 public EV charge points, together with installation partner Joju. The rollout is supported by £1.6 million in funding from the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) program.

The expansion of local, on-street charging infrastructure will address one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption in residential areas. Residents without access to off-street parking will be able to charge EVs near their homes.

“At char.gy, our focus is on enabling every resident, especially those without off-street parking, to make the switch to electric vehicles with confidence,” Char.gy CEO John Lewis said.

“This is fantastic news for the Island, especially for those who don’t have driveways. Installing over 1,500 new charge points will make a tangible difference for residents right across our communities, at no cost to the local budget,” said Councillor Julie Jones-Evans, Chair of the Economy, Regeneration, Transport and Infrastructure Committee.

Sources: Char.gy, CleanTechnica