Liberty Global sets sights on sparking on-street EV charging

Liberty Global is utilising the network infrastructure of its UK subsidiary Virgin Media with the aim of improving on-street electric vehicle (EV) charging. The telecoms company says it will utilise Virgin Media’s 40,000 powered street cabinets and 170,000 km of ducts as part of a partnership with Innovate UK. Jason Simpson, Liberty’s vice president global energy and utilities, says the street cabinets allow the company to “look beyond traditional uses of telecom infrastructure and make a positive impact
November 15, 2019 Read time: 2 mins

Liberty Global is utilising the network infrastructure of its UK subsidiary Virgin Media with the aim of improving on-street electric vehicle (EV) charging.

The telecoms company says it will utilise Virgin Media’s 40,000 powered street cabinets and 170,000 km of ducts as part of a partnership with Innovate UK.

Jason Simpson, Liberty’s vice president global energy and utilities, says the street cabinets allow the company to “look beyond traditional uses of telecom infrastructure and make a positive impact on the environment and in communities throughout the UK”.

“By bringing more EV chargers and associated connectivity to Britain’s streets, we are making a significant contribution to Innovate UK’s ambition to encourage more people to buy electric cars,” he adds.

Over the next 18 months, Liberty is to deploy and operate 1,200 charging sockets across the UK. The rollout of EV charging stations which use Virgin Media’s connectivity will build a scalable charging network, the company adds.

Liberty is taking part in the project as part of the Virgin Media Park & Charge consortium whose members include delivery companies such as Vattenfall, tech firms like Cenex and 2223 Loughborough University. Other members include councils in Oxfordshire, London’s Hammersmith & Fulham and Belfast.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • ITS World Congress Hall of Fame winners
    September 8, 2016
    The ITS World Congress 2016 Hall of Fame winners have been announced and will be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the 23rd ITS World Congress on Intelligent Transport Systems, 10-14 October, Melbourne, Australia. The Awards recognise individuals, industries and local governments striving to set the bar higher and enhance the end user experience. Local solutions often have wider applications, ensuring international transport, safety and technology improvements, enhancing liveability in cities and communitie
    Read More
  • Kerb your enthusiasm, warns Passport
    March 4, 2019
    Dynamic kerbside management is crucial if urban authorities are to address increasingly chaotic situations caused by the gig economy and mobility innovation, says Adam Warnes at Passport Demand for the kerbside is growing and changing and it’s no surprise when you consider the recent innovations within the mobility industry. For starters, there are new modes of transport, including ride-shares, electric vehicles (EVs), dockless cycles, last-mile consolidations and autonomous vehicles (AVs). Secondly, the
    Read More
  • New Guardian set to take over Q-Free
    September 29, 2023
    Investment firm is acquiring toll specialist with existing shareholder Rieber & Søn
    Read More
  • IBM, Honda, and PG&E enable smarter charging for EVs
    April 17, 2012
    IBM has teamed with American Honda Motor Company and Pacific Gas and Electric Company on a new pilot project that will allow communication between electric vehicles (EVs) and the power grid. This project will demonstrate and test an electric vehicle's ability to receive and respond to charge instructions based on the grid condition and the vehicle's battery state. With visibility into charging patterns, energy providers will have the ability to more effectively manage charging during peak hours and create c
    Read More

Highlighted Content