Upgrades to Go Ultra Low Oxford EV chargers

Upgrades have been made to the on-street electric vehicle chargers in the Go Ultra Low Oxford project, which will give members of the public the ability to use the chargers for the first time.

Oxford City Council says that the upgrades will also see an improvement in performance and access for trial participants, and will build on the learning from phase one to ensure that chargers are more reliable and utilise the latest technology.

Go Ultra Low Oxford, which is described by the University of Oxford as having ‘global scientific significance’, has trialled five different charging technologies for 24 residents across Oxford. The first phase of the project, which took place from July 2017 - June 2019, saw 46 charge-points installed across 28 locations, and the use of 10 electric Co-Wheels car club vehicles.

The project, thought to be the first on-street charging pilot of its size in the world, has been made possible after the City Council secured an £800,000 grant from the government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) in partnership with the county council. It aims to encourage residents to adopt electric vehicles through providing the option of driving and owning electric vehicles.

Oxford City Council, and Oxfordshire County Council are planning to introduce the Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ), which will begin with the ZEZ Pilot in August 2021. The ZEZ is being introduced to ensure Oxford’s residents and visitors can breathe air as clean as possible and reduce the impact of air pollution on the health of all those who live, work, and visit Oxford.

Tom Hayes, deputy leader and Cabinet Member for Green Transport and Zero Carbon Oxford, said: “We want electric vehicles to be accessible to more than just the early adopters and tech savvy, so I’m delighted that these latest upgrades will enable the wider public to access on-street Go Ultra Low Oxford chargers. One of the main challenges we face in Oxford is space for on-street chargers and the council is creating solutions for residents without off-road parking who are therefore unable to install their own charger. The GO Ultra Low Oxford trial aims to test on-street charging solutions that are suitable for the specific circumstances here in Oxford.

“During the first phase of the GULO project, the city council, alongside our project partners, have learned a lot from this project in terms of usage, performance and access of charging points. We would like to thank our trial participants for their support throughout the project and for helping to develop a citywide response which is tailored for our specific needs.”