The Royal College of Art and PA Consulting have been appointed to deliver an iconic British electric vehicle chargepoint design, the Transport Secretary has announced.
The design will be unveiled at COP26 in Glasgow this November and could be seen on streets across the country from 2022.
According to the government, the chargepoints will be ‘functional and accessible for all users with sustainability at the heart of the design.’
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps commented on the announcement: “Excellent design plays a key role in supporting our transition to zero emission vehicles, which is why I want to see EV chargepoints that are as iconic and recognisable as the British phone box, London bus or black cab.
“With less than three months to go until COP26, we continue to put the UK at the forefront of the design, manufacture and use of zero emission vehicles and their charging infrastructure, as we build back greener and call on countries around the world to similarly accelerate the transition to electric vehicles.”
This project gets underway as statistics from Zap Map reveal there are now over 25,000 public charging devices across the UK.
This comes as recent statistics from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders showed that over one in six cars sold in July 2021 had a plug.
In the run-up to COP26, the UK government is calling on countries around the world to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles.
Clive Grinyer, Head of Service Design at the Royal College of Art, added: “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.
“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.”
