Britain reveals a new public charger that could become as iconic as the red phone box

Everybody knows the iconic red telephone boxes in the UK, which were introduced in the ’20s and became the background scenery in many locations. Now, the government hopes to recreate that with public electric chargers as it pursues a future free from carbon emissions.

The public chargers are meant as incentives to encourage people to switch to electric cars. According to Transport Secretary Grant Shapps, the chargers have been designed to be easily recognizable and a joy to use. The designers paid attention to inclusivity and got input from consumers, local governments, accessibility, and the industry.

The government couldn’t have chosen a more appropriate time to launch the chargers, as it came during the COP26 climate summit day dedicated to transport.

To make the chargers more familiar and less intrusive, they have circular handles with LED lights that change color based on the status. When available, the charger remains white but turns green when removed from the holster. When plugged in, the LED lights go blue.

The design came from a joint effort that included PA Consulting and The Royal College of Art. They got a £200,000 grant from the Department for Transport’s Office for Zero-Emission Vehicles. The task was to come up with a piece of iconic equipment that would fit in on any roadside all over the country and that people would spot easily and come to love.

Britain has announced a ban on the sale of new ICE cars from 2030, with hybrid models to follow five years after. Installing these chargers is the government’s way of preparing for a smooth transition from an ICE-focused transport system to a battery-based. With time, the government hopes the chargers would be as common as the phone box, London bus, or black cab.

The Minister, who owns a Tesla Model 3, explains that electric vehicles are already cheaper to run in the UK than petrol or diesel cars and will become more affordable to buy in the nearest future.

Shapps said concerning the chargers, “To support the transition to EVs, it’s integral that we have the infrastructure to support it.

‘My vision is for the UK to have one of the best EV infrastructure networks in the world, with excellent British design at its heart.”