As iconic as the red postbox or black cab? New design for electric car charging points revealed

A new design to make electric vehicle (EV) charging points ‘instantly recognisable’ has been revealed at the COP26 climate summit.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps lifted a green Union Jack to unveil a prototype which he believes “could become as iconic as the Great British postbox or black cab.”

The new-look charge-point features a distinctive circular handle which lights up on the inside to indicate its charging status.

PA Consulting, part of the team behind the design, alongside the Royal College of Art (RCA), said the materials, size and dark colour “help it to blend into the UK’s diverse surroundings, whilst remaining visible for EV drivers”.

The consulting firm’s design and innovation expert, Dan Toon described the charge-point’s colour as a midnight blue with bronze tones. “We had to be extremely sensitive about what this might be like when it’s on the end of your street," he said.

“It’s okay for a red post box because there’s not many of them, but imagine there’s a street with four of five of these installed – you wouldn’t want to see a red dominating.”

Mr Toon added: “We know that excellent design has the power to dismantle barriers to growth and simplify the user experience.”

“For chargepoints, this means making the switch to EVs more attractive, accessible, affordable and secure for drivers without negatively impacting pedestrians and other road users.”

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Mr Shapps described the unveiling as a ‘crucial step’ and claimed the design will “raise awareness of the electric vehicle programme (and) help millions more drivers make the switch to cleaner and greener cars”.

He added: “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.”

The Transport Secretary confirmed at the summit’s Transport Day that all new heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in the UK will be zero-emission by 2040. The move comes in addition to the ban on the sale of all new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.

What do you think of the new charge-point design? Is it as iconic at the postbox, double-decker bus or black cab? Would you like to have seen a more daring look or perhaps something more traditional?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.