Fully retractable electric vehicle chargers said to be the first in Europe have gone live across the city of Dundee.

The UEone 7kW on-street charge points rise from the ground to an accessible height

Launched following over seven years of development and a 2.5-year trial, the chargers have been installed by Urban Fox, a partnership between Balfour Beatty Investments and Urban Electric Networks.

The UEone 7kW on-street charge points rise from the ground to an accessible height, and when not in use, auto-retract flat and flush underground. This leaves pavements clutter-free and more accessible to pedestrians, compared to other available EV charge points.

Electric vehicle drivers can use the Urban Fox App to “summon” the UEone to rise from the ground, power their EV and track their usage.

Oli Freeling-Wilkinson, CEO of Urban Fox, said: “After more than seven years of intensive development and testing, we are immensely proud to unveil Europe’s only flat and flush charging solution that complies with the highest accessibility standards. At Urban Fox we are passionate about addressing the pressing need for near-home EV charging infrastructure across the UK, to ensure that no one is left behind on the road to net zero.”

Councillor Steven Rome, convener of Fair Work, Economic Growth and Infrastructure, said: “I am pleased to see Dundee City Council invest in low-emission transport, further proving that we are continuously making progress towards achieving our net-zero targets. Dundee City Council believes that it is important to deploy charge points that are as accessible as possible to deliver equitable access to EV charging solutions, and this innovation helps cater to the needs of our communities.”