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Episode 141: Liz Allan and Chris Cheetham - Why Annual Safety Inspections Matter for Every EV Charging Site.

Liz Allan is joined by Chris Cheetham, Founder and CEO of Safer Charging, to explore the often-overlooked world of post-installation care in the EV charging sector. Chris shares his journey from studying environmental science to his early days at PodPoint and the pivotal moment that led him to launch Safer Charging. He explains why EV charge points, much like any safety-critical infrastructure, require ongoing inspection and maintenance, rather than a one-time install-and-forget approach.

Their conversation covers the unique risks within EV charging environments, the importance of fire risk inspections, and the launch of the UK’s first EV Charging Installation Condition Report (EVCICR). They also unpack the real-world impact of overheating units, cable degradation, and poorly managed private infrastructure. Liz and Chris highlight how local authorities, landowners, and fleet operators can better safeguard their EV assets and why public trust is eroded whenever a charger is seen bagged off or left out of service.

Quote of the Episode
"Time degrades user attention as well as hardware. We need to treat charge points like safety-critical infrastructure—not just install and forget."
— Chris Cheetham, Founder & CEO of Safer Charging

Chris Cheetham Bio:
Chris Cheetham is a passionate advocate for safer, smarter EV charging. As CEO of Safer Charging, he works with businesses, councils, and landowners to ensure charge points are correctly installed and maintained to a high standard long after. With deep sector knowledge and a practical, solutions-focused mindset, Chris aims to make safety and reliability the norm across the UK’s charging infrastructure. His work helps clients confidently and clearly navigate fire risk, compliance, and operational performance.

Chris Cheetham Links:
Website: https://www.safercharging.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-cheetham-06185873

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The Electric Evolution Podcast is proudly produced by Podforge, helping purpose-driven voices be heard.

Links for Full Circle CI:
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Episode 140: Liz Allan and Gary Comerford - Driving Change: What Makes an Outstanding EV Charging Experience?

Liz Allan is once again joined by Gary Comerford, host of the EV Musings Podcast. Together, they take a deep dive into the world of EV charging experiences, sharing personal anecdotes, lessons learned, and small but vital improvements that could transform EV adoption.

Gary brings his six years of EV driving experience into the conversation, offering brilliant insights into how the public charging network has evolved and where it still needs to develop. From memorable moments involving misaligned GPS pins to the essential elements that make or break a charging experience, Liz and Gary cover it all with their trademark warmth, humour, and constructive spirit.

They discuss the impact of good signage, payment reliability, canopy protection, proactive fault management, and why transparency around charging speeds is critical for drivers. This episode is a must-listen for CPOs, EV drivers, and anyone passionate about making EV journeys smoother, safer, and more satisfying.

Gary Comerford Bio:
Gary Comerford hosts the EV Musings podcast, where he shares practical advice, interviews, and real-world experiences from the front lines of electric vehicle adoption. An EV driver since 2018, Gary’s passion for demystifying the EV journey shines through. With a keen eye for what makes or breaks the charging experience, he’s become a trusted voice within the EV community, advocating for improvements that benefit drivers and infrastructure providers.

Gary Comerford Links:
Website: https://evmusings.com
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/garycomerford

Quote of the Episode:
"A lot of charge point operators think they're doing fine because they’re busy, but being used isn’t the same as being loved. True success comes from making the EV charging experience as seamless and intuitive as possible."
— Gary Comerford, EV Musings Podcast

Support the show

If you enjoyed this episode of Electric Evolution, please take a moment to leave us a review on your favourite podcast platform. Your feedback helps us improve and enables more people to discover valuable insights from our amazing guests.

Click the link below to find out how to add a review on Apple or Spotify
https://bit.ly/4dtiMJK

The Electric Evolution Podcast is proudly produced by Podforge, helping purpose-driven voices be heard.

Links for Full Circle CI:
Visit our website: https://fullcircleci.co.uk/podcasts

Electric Evolution LinkedIn Page:

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Support our podcast here: https://patreon.com/ElectricEvolutionPodcast
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We love hearing from you! After listening to an episode, if you’d like to share a comment or ask a question, just click here to send us your message.

Episode 139: Liz Allan and Richard Hackforth-Jones - Sainsbury’s Smart Charge Vision for Net Zero and Customer Excellence.
Liz Allan speaks to Richard Hackforth-Jones, Product and Operations Director at Sainsbury’s Smart Charge, to explore how one of the UK’s biggest retail giants is revolutionising the EV charging landscape. Richard shares Smart Charge's incredible growth journey, from launching its first site in July 2023 to rapidly scaling to over 75 sites and 615 ultra-rapid charging bays in less than a year. More than just numbers, Richard dives into Sainsbury’s customer-first approach, using its retail expertise, existing property assets, and Nectar loyalty scheme to make EV charging both accessible and rewarding for drivers. He explains how their ability to use existing grid connections and relentless focus on process improvement make Smart Charge a stand-out player in the industry.

Richard Hackforth-Jones Bio:
Richard Hackforth-Jones is the Product and Operations Director at Sainsbury’s Smart Charge, leading the charge (quite literally) on scaling one of the UK’s fastest-growing EV charging networks. With a background spanning tech consultancy, product management, and e-mobility strategy, Richard brings a unique blend of technical know-how and strategic insight to the EV space. Passionate about simplifying the EV driver experience, Richard is driving Smart Charge’s mission to deliver ultra-rapid, accessible, and customer-friendly charging at Sainsbury’s nationwide, while supporting the retailer’s broader net-zero goals.

Quote of the Episode:
"We have a duty, as an industry, to make it easy to onboard those customers into this new behaviour of public charging. If we don’t, we risk leaving people behind.” Richard Hackforth-Jones, Sainsbury’s Smart Charge

Richard Hackforth-Jones Links:
Website: https://smartcharge.co.uk
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-drake-hackforth-jones

Support the show

If you enjoyed this episode of Electric Evolution, please take a moment to leave us a review on your favourite podcast platform. Your feedback helps us improve and enables more people to discover valuable insights from our amazing guests.

Click the link below to find out how to add a review on Apple or Spotify
https://bit.ly/4dtiMJK

The Electric Evolution Podcast is proudly produced by Podforge, helping purpose-driven voices be heard.

Links for Full Circle CI:
Download our EV Charging White Paper: https://fullcircleci.co.uk/plugging-into-the-future-whitepaper
Visit our website: https://fullcircleci.co.uk/podcasts
Support our podcast here: https://patreon.com/ElectricEvolutionPodcast
You can support us here too: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/electricevolutionpodcast
Find Us on Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/showcase/electric-evolution-podcast