Public Charging
Local Authorities and CPOs
On-street EV charging allows electric vehicle owners without private driveways to charge their vehicles using publicly accessible charging points installed on residential streets.
As more drivers switch to electric vehicles, many households do not have access to off-street parking or home charging. On-street charging helps bridge this gap by providing convenient charging facilities close to where people live.
Modern on-street charging solutions can be installed as standalone charge points or integrated into existing street furniture, such as lighting columns, helping local authorities maximise existing infrastructure while minimising street clutter and installation costs.
Typically, on-street chargers provide AC charging, allowing residents to charge their vehicles overnight or while parked for extended periods.
LEVI (Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure) funding is a UK Government programme designed to help local authorities expand public EV charging infrastructure, particularly for residents without access to off-street parking.
The LEVI Fund provides financial support to councils across England to plan, procure and install reliable public charging networks. Its primary aim is to make charging more accessible, encourage electric vehicle adoption and reduce barriers for households that cannot install a home charger.
As funding programmes and eligibility criteria can change, local authorities should always refer to the latest Government guidance when planning future charging projects.
PAS 1899 is the UK accessibility standard for public electric vehicle charging, providing guidance to help ensure charging infrastructure is inclusive and accessible for as many users as possible.
Developed by the British Standards Institution (BSI) with industry stakeholders, PAS 1899 sets out recommendations covering charger positioning, reach heights, cable management, accessibility, user interaction and the overall charging experience.
The standard aims to make public charging easier to use for people with a wide range of mobility, dexterity and accessibility needs, helping create a more inclusive charging network across the UK.
OCPP (Open Charge Point Protocol) is the global communication standard that allows EV chargers to connect with different charging management platforms.
Rather than being tied to a single software provider, OCPP-compliant chargers can communicate with a wide range of compatible back-office systems. This gives charge point operators, businesses and local authorities greater flexibility when selecting or changing charging management software.
Because OCPP is widely adopted across the EV charging industry, it has become an important requirement for many commercial and public charging projects.
Choosing OCPP-compliant charging infrastructure helps protect long-term investment while supporting future expansion.
Yes. Many commercial and public EV chargers can be customised with branding, colours and graphics to reflect the identity of the charge point operator, local authority or business.
All of Ratio’s pillar EV chargers can be fully customised using bespoke vinyl wraps decals as well as full powder coated paint finishes.
UK-manufactured charging solutions can often provide greater flexibility when it comes to bespoke branding and project-specific requirements.
Modern public EV chargers can support a range of payment methods, making charging convenient for residents, visitors and fleet drivers.
The payment options available will depend on the charger and charging management platform, but all of our public charging solutions support:
- Contactless debit and credit card payments – such as Nayax, Payter and self-service technology
- Mobile payment services.
- RFID cards.
- Charging network apps.
When selecting public charging infrastructure, local authorities and charge point operators should consider payment flexibility, compliance with current regulations and the overall user experience.
AC charging is the most practical and cost-effective solution for residential on-street charging because it matches the way most people use their vehicles.
Residents typically park their vehicles for several hours or overnight, allowing ample time to recharge using 7.4kW or 22kW AC chargers. In these situations, rapid DC charging is often unnecessary and would require significantly greater electrical infrastructure and investment.
For local authorities and charge point operators, AC charging enables wider network coverage, helping more residents access reliable public charging while making efficient use of available funding.
Ratio ticked all these boxes and more
At Garage Play we turn tired and run-down garages into a genuine new space for the home, this could be a gym, an office, or simply a neater, nicer garage space. As part of our offering we wanted to supply EV charging equipment, but we need it to be smart enough to cope with differing power availability and solar interoperability, reliable and robust enough to cope with everyday living, plus good looking to fit in with our total proposition. Ratio ticked all these boxes and more!
Malcolm Stapleton
Garage Play
Ratio provide us with the back-up and support to give us the confidence to install these solutions
We have been working with Ratio for a couple of months now promoting and installing their domestic chargers to our customer base. Customer satisfaction is vital to our business as word-of-mouth and repeat business is an important part of our overall marketing plan. Ratio provide us with the back-up and support to give us the confidence to install these solutions. I would happily recommend Ratio to any business looking for a reliable partner.
Ben Smyth
Director EV PowerPoint
The guys at Ratio give us the tools and support we need
We are looking to grow the EV side of our business for both domestic and commercial installations. The guys at Ratio give us the tools and support we need from one manufacturer to provide a leading solution for our customers in both these markets.
Ross Shore
RSS Electrical