Kerbo Charge, a company dedicated to making electric vehicle (EV) charging accessible for everyone in the UK, has launched a new product, Kerbo Glide. This innovative device is designed to make it incredibly easy for disabled individuals to charge their EVs across pavements.
Taking advice from Motability Operations, the firm that runs the Motability Scheme, Kerbo Charge has developed the Kerbo Glide. This product can be deployed single-handedly and eliminates the need for bending over, making it ideal for those with disabilities or anyone seeking a more convenient solution.
Michael Goulden, CEO and Co-founder of Kerbo Charge, said: “We’ve listened to Motability Operations and delivered a cable insertion accessory to make it easy for anyone to use our EV charging channel. The new device, whichretails for £59, can be used one-handed, giving easy EV access to everyone. This is an extremely important, yet so simple, solution to allow those with disabilities ease of charging – even without off street parking.”
The unit, priced at £59, is available for pre-orders now and will start shipping in December. Motability Operations identified several accessibility issues with existing cross-pavement products, finding them difficult to use for disabled drivers.
• Bending and kneeling: Most products require users to bend or kneel-posing.
Sharon, a Motability Scheme customer who has tested the product:.
“As an EV driver with a disability this solution is perfect for me, as it means I do notneed to bend down to plug in my electric vehicle. As a Motability Scheme customerit’s great to see companies coming together to help make charging my EV as easyas possible. I hope more and more people get to use this simple, yet so effective,cross pavement solution.”
Sharon, from Woking, with her assistance dog Frankie Jon Jenkins, Head of Innovation and EV Accessibility at Motability Operations, has stated: “At Motability Operations, we’re committed to making sure the UK’s switch to electric vehicles protects the freedom and independence that the Motability Scheme provides, while ensuring no disabled person is left behind. Recent data from our EV Transition Tracker found that, among those who say they will not consider an EV for their next vehicle, 46% cite not being able to charge at home as a key reason for this. Cross-pavement products offer a potential solution to this, but unfortunately many are not yet accessible – excluding too many drivers from affordable home charging. That’s why we’ve been working directly with manufacturers to help shape designs that better meet the needs of all users. It’s brilliant to see Kerbo Charge respond to the challenges we raised and take meaningful steps toward cross-pavement products that are inclusive by design.”