Throughout 2022 Motability Operations have launched multiple pilots and collaborations to test new innovations which could help their customers make the switch to an electric car ahead of the ban on brand new ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) cars in 2030.
These pilots aim to generate real-world data and customer feedback that will hopefully shape how the lease provider supports its customers in the future, by alleviating range anxiety and concerns about charging their electric car or Wheelchair Accessible Vehicle (WAV).
Co Charger is the UK’s only purpose-built Community Charging app, and it uses this community to help accelerate electric vehicle (EV) adoption. The service has more than 4,000 registered 'Hosts' (people with chargers), making it the third largest and fastest-growing EV charging network in the UK. Through the app and collaborations, Co Charger enables people who cannot charge a vehicle at home to do so within a short distance of their home or place of work.
In March 2022 Motability launched a new pilot with Co Charger. With over 40% of Motability Scheme customers unable to fit an EV charging wallbox at home, this new solution could prove to be a great option for many Motability car drivers and their family.
In a recent statement, Co Charger told us that they are 'really pleased to have completed a successful 6-month pilot scheme with Motability, helping scheme customers transition confidently to electric vehicles.'
There are around 15 million people in the UK who don’t have their own driveway, and therefore will never be able to install their own electric vehicle charger at home. This is reflected within the Motability Scheme customer base, and Co Charger understand just how important it is for people with a disability to have access to safe, reliable and affordable transport.
Co Charger was developed so that people with their own home charger can rent it out to someone local who doesn’t have one. The home charger and parking space belonging to the 'Host' can be booked in advance, the price per hour is clear and the app is simple to use.
So, instead of plugging in an EV at home, you would plug it in at the agreed time with a neighbour or another Co Charger member. Co Charger now has over 12,000 members, and the community is growing daily.
Following on from the government’s announcement in 2020 that only electrified cars can be sold in the UK from 2030 (plug-in hybrids will remain on sale in new car showrooms for another five years), the entire country needed a charging infrastructure that could be built quickly and almost from scratch. The project is one of the largest undertaken in history, and while the number of public chargers is increasing, the UK is still way behind where it needs to be.
One huge positive is that there are now around 400,000 EV chargers installed in UK homes, and as the Co Charger community grows, more chargers become available for use by EV drivers, helping to ease understandable customer concern around EV range and charging.
Joel Teague, CEO and Co Charger Founder said "We are delighted to be helping Motability customers. One of the main reasons Co Charger was developed was to increase accessibility to electric vehicles, and help more people swap to an EV. With about half of all motorists unable to install a charger at home, sharing home chargers is a quick and easy way to help others. The pilot between Motability and Co Charger epitomises everything the service was set up to achieve."
The completed pilot results are now being assessed, with Motability clearly determined to take a proactive approach to ensure they are ahead of the curve when it comes to helping their customers switch to electric motoring.
Teague added: "We look forward to determining the next steps, but initial results have indicated the project has been a success and also been very well received by Motability customers. We believe that Co Charger has shown that Community Charging is effective, and Motability customers without driveways said they found the app easy to use. Watch this space for further developments."
