Press Release

Plymouth City Council and Urban Fox, a partnership between Balfour Beatty Investments and Urban Electric Networks, have announced the official launch of their partnership to deploy low impact, on street electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in Plymouth. This comes after a highly successful two and a half year pilot, which saw Urban Fox install 26 dual socket UEone chargepoints - serving 53 charging bays across 10 hubs - and support the annual charging needs of up to 650 EV drivers.

The next phase of the partnership will see the reinstatement of 24 dual socket UEone chargepoints, creating 48 charging bays, underlining the Council's commitment to expanding near home charging for residents, especially those without off street parking options.

Prior to deployment, a comprehensive survey revealed:

• 38% of respondents were more likely to consider purchasing an EV if local charging was readily available.
• 80% stated they would travel no more than 250 metres to access a charger.
• 90% supported the expansion of on street EV charging.
• 80% valued clutter free streetscapes.
• 67% placed high importance on aesthetically pleasing charging infrastructure.

Urban Fox’s UEone, a retractable, kerbside fast chargepoint, was chosen to address these priorities, offering a discreet design which is flush to the ground when not in use. Importantly, insights from the trial led to further design enhancements, including:

• Single handed operation of the chargepoint
• Socket height adjustment to meet industry standards
• Features to support ease of use for disabled motorists and users with additional needs

The original pilot demonstrated the feasibility and accessibility of the UEone chargepoints and was met with a positive reception. The latest rollout will expand Plymouth’s EV infrastructure, offering safe, reliable, and scalable charging solutions.

Oli Freeling-Wilkinson, CEO of Urban Fox, said: “We are proud to build on the success of our pilot and expand this vital infrastructure in Plymouth. The UEone perfectly combines design, functionality, reliability and accessibility. We’re delighted to partner with the council in accelerating the city’s transition toward cleaner transport.”

Councillor John Stephens, Cabinet Member for Strategic Planning and Transport, added: “Ensuring equitable access to EV charging has ever been more important. Our joint pilot with Urban Fox clearly demonstrated not only the demand but also the effectiveness of on street charging in making meaningful progress toward our sustainability targets.”

This EV charging initiative is a key component of Plymouth City Council’s strategy to reduce emissions and facilitate a cleaner, sustainable urban future.

ENDS