Coventry-based Sarginsons Industries has won a contract from Char.gy to develop new street charging points that could revolutionise the take-up of electric vehicles.

The company, which traditionally supplies aluminium castings to a range of sectors (including automotive and energy), is diversifying.

London-based Char.gy has developed technology that enables charging points to be fitted on lampposts or on separate ‘charging bollards’ that can use the electricity supply to lampposts.

This will enable vehicle owners in urban areas where only on-street parking is available to access charging points for all-electric or hybrid vehicles.

Char.gy is already working with a number of local authorities around the UK, including Coventry. Sarginsons will supply the full charging unit to Char.gy, including the aluminium castings, internal assembly and electronics.

Sarginsons’ managing director, Anthony Evans (www.sarginsons.com), said: “This is very much a new area of business for us, which we are extremely excited about.

"It is our ambition to grow and find new markets, and this is a great example of that; it is definitely something we will look to build on.

"We have invested significant time and money in our new Technology Centre, and we are working in collaboration with universities and research centres to ensure that it is at the cutting edge of R&D.

"The core of our business is very much around light-weighting, and we have put sustainability and green technologies at the heart of everything we do, so it is great to be working with another business that has this at its core.”

Richard Stobart developed the Char.gy products after identifying a gap in the market. He said: “I wanted to drive an electric car, but I was living in an urban street, with no garage or off-street parking.

"I looked at the lamppost and thought there must be a way of tapping into its supply, so I decided to devise one.

"It has taken several years to bring it to this point, where we have units installed around the country.

"It is great to be working with Sarginsons on this project.”