Electric vehicle chargepoints set to become next great British emblem

Iconic British electric vehicle chargepoint could be seen on streets across the country from 2022.

• design team appointed to create an iconic British chargepoint
• project could see electric vehicle chargepoints join Britain’s renowned emblems, alongside the red post box and black cab 
• this comes as the UK celebrates major milestone of 25,000 public chargepoints on roads up and down the country

Electric vehicle chargepoints across the Royal College of Art (RCA) and PA Consulting to deliver an iconic British chargepoint design, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced today (9 August 2021).

The design will be unveiled at COP26 in Glasgow this November and could be seen on streets across the country from 2022. The chargepoints will be functional and accessible for all users with sustainability at the heart of the design.

This project gets underway as independently produced statistics from Zap Map reveal there are now over 25,000 public charging devices across the Transport decarbonisation plan, a world-leading ‘greenprint’ published earlier this summer that sets out a credible path for the UK to achieve net zero emissions by 2050 and lead the world in tackling climate change. It also comes alongside an array of government interventions to ensure charging is as easy as, if not easier than, refuelling a petrol or diesel car or van.

Clive Grinyer, Head of Service Design at the RCA, said:

This is an opportunity to support the design of a future icon that will be part of our national culture as we move towards a sustainable future. The RCA has been at the forefront of shaping our products, mobility and services for the last 180 years. We are delighted to be playing a role in the design of the total service experience to ensure a usable, beautiful and inclusive design that is an excellent experience for all.

Warwick Goodall, transport and net-zero mobility expert at PA, said:

We know that excellent design has the power to dismantle barriers to growth and simplify the user experience, making the switch to electric vehicles more attractive, accessible, affordable and secure for drivers.

PA has a strong legacy in product design, which is an integral part of our world-leading end-to-end innovation capability. The combination of PA’s world-class design team and the Royal College of Art brings the creative expertise to reimagine the EV chargepoint as an iconic piece of British street furniture.

We look forward to working together with the public and industry on a design framework that will accelerate the chargepoint rollout ambitions and bring to life the electric vehicle revolution on our streets.