EV gully channel ‘changed our lives’ – how this Llanelli family went electric

Lauren and Gregg Francis charge their electric van safely on their busy street thanks to a Kerbocharge gully channel installed outside their home.

Lauren Francis next to the EV charging port outside her home

Making the switch to an electric vehicle

The Francis family made the switch to an electric vehicle over a year ago with the help of a gully channel installed right outside their Llanelli home. The gully – which is simply a dip in the pavement carved out by engineers – means they can run their charging cable safely without it being a trip hazard.

The family used to have a diesel car but were interested in going electric, so they contacted Carmarthenshire council to ask if they could install a roadside charger. Their driveway isn’t wide enough for a car and they needed it for accessibility for Lauren’s wheelchair.

Carmarthenshire Council's EV charging trial

Carmarthenshire council are part of an electric vehicle home charging trial, aimed at supporting residents without off-street parking. As part of the trial, the Kerbocharge gully channel and an outdoor charger were installed free of charge, enabling the Francis’s to get their Vauxhall Vivaro electric van that they now know and love.

How the trial has changed daily life

“It’s been so good having that vehicle - I can park it outside the house, I can plug it in easily to charge overnight and it’s just there ready to go in the morning,” said Lauren.

The gully is hidden in plain sight, said Lauren. “It’s a very good design. I hope people drive past our house and think, ‘they haven’t got a driveway, how are they charging?’ Then maybe they’ll say ‘well they’ve got one – can we?’”

The couple have ordered a device from Kerbocharge to enable Lauren to plug the van in without having to bend down to put the cable into the channel. They’re looking forward to hearing how the trial has gone in the county, as their experience has been so positive.

“The on-street gulley charging trial provides reliable home charging for residents without access to off-street parking. This simple, safe and affordable solution will support more residents in the shift to greener transport.”

Ainsley Williams, Director of Place, Infrastructure and Economic Development

The benefits of switching to an EV

Having an electric vehicle has blended seamlessly into the family’s daily commutes and lifestyles, explained Gregg.

“It means Lauren doesn't have to stop at fuel stations with the kids and take them out of the car to go and pay. Not all public chargers are accessible, so we just charge it here. It’s a massive difference in price to what we were paying for diesel.”

Lauren said, “The van is literally like my shoes - I can't go anywhere without it. It’s been so good, it’s really changed our entire life and how we think about our journeys. We have to stop anyway to take breaks, so we don’t mind charging en route.

“Our goal was to get to my parents in North Wales without a charge and we can do that – we’ve also gone to France a few times.”

Even with two adults, two children, car seats and a wheelchair filling the van, the vehicle will still do round-trips to Cardiff and Tenby on a single charge.

Find out more

Learn more about switching to an electric vehicle and explore Autotrader’s tips for choosing the right used EV for you.