Nearly 30% of UK households cannot charge an electric vehicle at home because they lack off-street parking, so this project will install 140 smart charging points in existing public car parks near high-density residential areas. The problem is straightforward: people who live in flats or terraced houses without driveways are effectively locked out of the electric vehicle market. Current charging infrastructure focuses on daytime, workplace, or destination charging, leaving night-time charging—when most cars sit idle—largely unaddressed. A survey found that 70% of potential EV buyers would walk five minutes to charge their car, suggesting a viable alternative to home charging. If the Park and Charge model works, it could unlock a replicable, investment-ready solution for local authorities across the UK. The project combines hardware (Zeta’s smart chargers with remote fault detection and dynamic load balancing), software (a booking and payment platform from [ui!]uk), and a modelling tool to identify optimal sites based on demand, parking capacity, and socio-economic factors. Oxford University will study social and behavioural barriers to ensure the system is inclusive and affordable. With 18 letters of support from potential stakeholders, the model is designed for rapid national scale-up, potentially improving local air quality by removing a key barrier to EV adoption in underserved urban areas.
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With 30% of households in the UK lacking access to off-street charging or home charging, the market opportunity identified in this Park and Charge model is that existing car parks in close proximity to residences can be used at night to provide Electric Vehicle Service Equipment (EVSE) to these potential EV buyers. Detailed work undertaken in Feasibility Stage 1 indicated that most existing car parks are under-utilised from 6 pm to 8 am and through a detailed survey, 70% of potential EV buyers were willing to walk for 5 minutes to charge their EV. This opportunity is exploited in this project using the Park and Charge (PnC) model, summarised as: Production of 140 state-of-the art smart EVSEs by UK SME Zeta: offering advanced features like dynamic charging; fault detection; remote fault rectification; dual output with variable charge balancing; remote software upgrade. Demonstration of an Interoperable Electric Mobility Service Provider (eMSP) Platform & App. by UK SME [ui!]uk enabling EVSE reservations; parking space reservations; Charge Point Operator (CPO) data integration; payment integration; reporting and visualisation. Refinement of Park and Charge (PNC) Modelling Tool- A replicable analytical modelling tool to identify suitable PnC sites considering vectors such as local EVSE demand, on-street parking capacity, car park suitability and socio-economic characteristics. Demonstration of Park and Charge Business Models- Demonstration of new long-term private sector-led investment models, risk and reward analysis, in public EVSE infrastructure. PnC will test a business model solution that: is suitable for investment. PnC has 6 local authority participants instrumental in the design and feasibility and intrinsic to the ongoing successful delivery; encourages electric vehicle take up in the area and maximise improvements in local air quality: 140 new charge points will be provided in existing public sector car parks adjacent to high density residential areas with no off street parking- creating local charging hubs; provides great experiences for end users: with bespoke pre-booking and billing services, avoidance of pedestrian disruption and street congestion. Is ready for rapid scale-up, locally and nationally with 18 letters of support secured from other potential stakeholders. Social and behavioural aspects will enjoy expert attention through the academic rigor of Oxford University ensuring the PnC solution is: inclusive, accessible, affordable and optimal.
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