Urban Fox, a partnership between Balfour Beatty Investments and Urban Electric Networks, has secured a contract with Newport City Council to install one of the first lamp post electric vehicle (EV) charging networks in Wales.
A total of 120 chargers will be installed across Newport, with some streets featuring multiple units. Instead of building new infrastructure, the chargers will be installed directly onto existing streetlamps to maximise pavement space.
Urban Fox was established in 2023 to address the growing need for accessible and innovative EV charging infrastructure. Its launch offering was a pop-up charging post that retracts back into the pavement after use. [See previous report here.]
Urban Fox chief executive Oli Freeling-Wilkinson said: “This is a hugely exciting moment for Urban Fox. Securing our first-ever contract and delivering one of Wales’ first lamp post EV chargers is a major milestone in our mission to revolutionise on-street charging.
“By seamlessly integrating chargers into existing infrastructure, we’re not only cutting costs and reducing street clutter but also making EV charging more accessible than ever. This is about unlocking the full potential of our streets and helping even more people transition to cleaner, greener transport. We’re proud to be playing our part in the charge towards a net zero future, and this is just the beginning.”
Balfour Beatty Investments managing director Ion Appuhamy, of, said: “Securing this contract with Newport Council marks a significant milestone for Urban Fox and is testament to our commitment to driving innovative, sustainable solutions which will enable the members of the public to play their part in the UK’s net zero agenda.”