Belfast based EV charge point operator (CPO), Weev, has officially installed the first ever cross paving EV charging point solution in Northern Ireland, marking the start of a six-month pilot scheme announced by the Department of Infrastructure (DFI).

Weev’s cross paving options offers homeowners the opportunity to charge their electric vehicle on the street, outside where they live. This is a game changing solution for those who are unable to access a private driveway. The scheme will allow two solutions to enable electric vehicle charging across footways and pavements to be tested. The first option is an ‘engineered channel’, where the footway is excavated to install a shallow channel that extends across the footway from the property to the kerb line, with a cover that allows the cable to be inserted and retracted.  

The second solution is where a cable cover is temporarily placed on a footway. The latter’s introduction will be facilitated through a six-month rolling pilot which will allow ongoing monitoring and evaluation.

This initiative comes as part of a wider drive in investment from the Department for Infrastructure and local CPOs to expand EV infrastructure across the region.

Launching the new pilot scheme earlier this week,  Minister for Infrastructure Liz Kimmins MLA said: “EV charging infrastructure is vital to expanding our local green transport options and reducing our reliance on fossil fuels. Finding a new, sustainable solution to EV charging for those who live without a private driveway to park and charge their car is central to ensuring that we meet our climate commitment to net zero emissions by 2050”.

”Thomas O’Hagan, Chief Commercial Officer at Weev said: “Weev is excited to be working on such an innovative and ground-breaking project.. With not everyone having access to a private driveway to plug-in their EV, it is important for our regulators to adopt to industry innovations and create solutions to barriers to charging EVs.

“Weev operate one of Northern Ireland’s  largest public EV charging networks; more drivers adopting EVs as their vehicle of choice is a key driver for our business. This new pilot scheme represents a massive game changer in our local EV charging network and will deliver huge benefits to consumers and fleets who want to make the transition to EV.”