Char.gy is redefining how the UK approaches electric vehicle charging infrastructure, delivering solutions specifically designed for the 40% of households without driveways. The company has installed its 5,000th public charge point, with the landmark charger delivered in Brighton & Hove as part of one of the largest on-street charging programmes outside London. This milestone underscores the rapid transition of kerbside charging from pilot projects to mainstream deployment, creating practical pathways to electric mobility for entire streets of residents who previously lacked convenient charging access.

Brighton Leading National Deployment

The 5,000th charge point was installed as part of Brighton & Hove City Council’s ambitious programme to deploy around 6,000 kerbside charge points across the city. This represents one of the largest on-street charging programmes in the UK and currently the largest outside London. The rollout specifically targets the city’s residents, the majority of whom rely on on-street parking, transforming their access to EV charging infrastructure.

Brighton & Hove exemplifies the broader acceleration of kerbside charging deployment nationwide. In Barnet, char.gy’s close partnership with the council delivered 300 charge points in just six weeks, forming part of a 500-strong rollout already serving thousands of local drivers. This demonstrates how quickly communities adopt kerbside charging when implemented effectively.

Expanding Municipal Partnerships

Reading Borough Council has partnered with char.gy to install around 2,600 charge points across the borough, ensuring at least 90% of households without off-street parking will be within 100 metres of a public charger. On the Isle of Wight, over 1,500 new charge points are set for installation, bringing reliable on-street charging to the island for the first time at scale and ensuring communities beyond the mainland participate in the electric transition.

John Lewis, CEO of char.gy, said:

“Reaching 5,000 charge points is a proud moment for char.gy, but what it really represents is thousands of households across the UK who can now seriously consider going electric. The councils we work with, from Brighton to Barnet, Reading to the Isle of Wight, are making bold commitments to their residents, and we’re proud to be the partner helping them deliver them. On-street charging has moved from the margins to the mainstream — and it’s becoming an essential part of how the UK gets to net zero.”

Addressing The Driveway Gap

Char.gy’s model directly targets the charging barrier facing approximately 40% of UK homes without off-street parking. For many of these households, the absence of convenient charging has been the primary obstacle preventing electric vehicle adoption. The company installs charge points at the kerbside using existing street furniture such as lamp columns, minimising disruption while maximising reach.

The entire char.gy network operates on renewable electricity supplied through partnership with EDF. The energy is backed by Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO) certificates, verifying that electricity supplied to the network matches power generated from renewable sources fed into the UK grid. This combination of accessible kerbside charging with renewable electricity provision ensures the transition to electric mobility delivers meaningful carbon reductions alongside improved charging access.

Renewable Energy Integration

Raghav Singh, Business Supply Director at EDF, expressed:

“char.gy’s 5,000th charge point is a strong example of how quickly on-street EV charging is expanding across the UK. As demand for electric vehicles grows, access to convenient, reliable charging powered by renewable energy will be essential in supporting more drivers, particularly those without off‑street parking. We’re proud to be helping power this network with renewable energy, and it’s great to be working alongside char.gy as they continue to scale and make on-street EV charging more accessible for communities across the country.”

Scaling Community Access

The 5,000 charger milestone represents more than infrastructure deployment; it signals the democratisation of electric vehicle ownership across diverse housing situations. By converting existing street infrastructure into reliable charging points, char.gy enables local authorities to meet ambitious electrification commitments while ensuring no communities are excluded from the transition. The company’s approach demonstrates how targeted kerbside solutions can rapidly scale to support the UK’s 2030 electrification goals, making electric mobility accessible regardless of housing type or location.