The UK Department for Transport has appointed PA, alongside the Royal College of Art, to deliver an iconic British charge point design which could become as recognisable as the red post box or black cab. The design will be unveiled at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) in November and could be seen on streets across the UK from 2022. The charge points will be functional and accessible for all users, with sustainability at the heart of the design.
Warwick Goodall, PA’s transport and net-zero mobility expert, said: “We know that excellent design has the power to dismantle barriers to growth and simplify the user experience, making the switch to electric vehicles more attractive, accessible, affordable and secure for drivers.
“PA has a strong legacy in product design, which is an integral part of our world leading end-to-end innovation capability. The combination of PA’s world-class design team and the Royal College of Art (RCA) brings the creative expertise to re-imagine the EV chargepoint as an iconic piece of British street furniture.
“We look forward to working together with the public and industry on a design framework that will accelerate the Chargepoint rollout ambitions and bring to life the electric vehicle revolution on our streets.”
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Excellent design plays a key role in supporting our transition to zero emission vehicles, which is why I want to see EV chargepoints that are as iconic and recognisable as the British phone box, London bus or black cab.
“With less than three months to go until COP26, we continue to put the UK at the forefront of the design, manufacture and use of zero emission vehicles and their charging infrastructure, as we build back greener and call on countries around the world to similarly accelerate the transition to electric vehicles.”
PA’s role in this project has been reported in multiple publications including Business & Innovation Magazine, Tech Register, Euro Weekly News and Highways Industry. MSN has also reported the story and refers to PA and the RCA as a "special team" that has been picked to create the iconic design
Sourced from PA consulting