A new scheme funded by the Welsh Government to install on-street residential electric-vehicle charging points will be trialled by Ceredigion County Council.

The council will select three locations in Aberystwyth for a trial after carrying out a ground survey.

A total of 18 electric vehicle (EV) charge points will be installed, with six at each location.

The council says it will be engaging with residents in the trial areas and want to hear from other areas that would be interested in taking part in any future installations.

The sale of electric vehicles is gradually increasing however not all residents will have the access and facilities to install private electric vehicle charging points from their own properties.

Should the trial be successful, then the benefit of this scheme is that it will help meet the current and future needs of residents as they gradually convert to electric vehicles, whilst eliminating any risk and trip hazards from cables being extended across pavement areas.

The UK Government’s zero emission vehicle mandate became law in January 2024 and requires that 80 per cent of new cars and 70 per cent of new vans sold in Great Britain to be zero emission by 2030, increasing to 100 per cent by 2035.

829 plug-in electric vehicles were registered in Ceredigion at the end of 2024.

If car ownership remains at today’s level, a rapid increase in the electrical charging infrastructure will be required.

There are several areas of high-density housing without off street parking in Ceredigion, for example, 23% of Aberystwyth properties do not have access to off-street vehicle charging facilities.

The initial residential trial will be developed in conjunction with ‘Trojan Energy’.

These charge points are built into the pavement, sitting completely flat when not in use.

This means they don’t create trip hazards or clutter the street. Each charge point provides charging speeds of up to 22kWh, giving local residents who don’t have a driveway a convenient way to charge their EVs close to home.

Residents taking part in the trial will receive a free personal charging adaptor. This adaptor connects their vehicle to the charge point on the street and enables automatic billing, making charging simple and secure.

Ceredigion County Council has also been successful in securing funding from Welsh Government to develop a further trial with ‘Connected Kerb’ for static bollard type EV charging with sites being assessed around Ceredigion for use by residents and the general public.

The Chameleon 7kw static bollard will have a discreet, low impact on street appearance, which will be accessible to all users of electric vehicles.

Cllr Keith Henson, Cabinet Member for Highways and Environmental Services and Carbon Management said: “This is the latest in a long list of exciting and innovative projects to reduce our emissions and to achieve Carbon Net Zero.

“We are awaiting the outcome of further applications for funding for 2025/26, and if successful, these trials will provide us with a wealth of information and experience to inform future development.”