BT decided in 2024 to convert 60,000 old green street cabinets that they were decommissioning around the UK in to electric vehicle (EV) charging points.
A nice idea to reuse street furniture that was already there and wired in and make charging an EV on the go a lot easier (it would have nearly doubled the number of charging points). But twelve months later, how many had they completed? One. At which point they went and pulled the plug (all puns intended) on it.
Whilst a great idea, it’s a brand stretch just too far for BTs audience – it has nothing to do with telephones, broadband or communication – and their brand in the public’s mind just doesn’t carry it to such a different market.
A far better idea would have been to sell (or lease) the cabinets and power infrastructure to a player already in the market place with brand recognition and authority.
It could have been perfect for a power company like E.ON that currently does commercial and home EV charging, allowing them to move in to the adjacent market of charging on-the-go. A proposition that would have felt natural and resonated with EV users and would allow them to scale rapidly and potentially become the biggest player in the emerging market.
— Know your audience
