BT’s start-up and innovation company Etc. has today announced it will begin pilots to transform decommissioned street cabinets into EV charging points in a bid to accelerate the UK’s journey to net zero. 

The first phase of the pilots will take place in Northern Ireland this autumn. If successful, it will be expanded to the public with more pilot locations added across the UK later in the year.

A study from 2021 found that the installation of chargers needs to increase by five times the current rate if the plan to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 is to be achieved.

BT said the pilots will provide critical insight into the viability of scaling up EV charging to more locations across its estate.  

“With the ban on sales of internal combustion engine vehicles coming in 2030, and with only around 45,000 public charge points today, the UK needs a massive upgrade to meet the needs of the EV revolution,” said Tom Guy, managing director, Etc.

“We...