Tenfold expansion of chargepoints by 2030, government announces

New strategy outlined to improve EV driver experience

Tenfold expansion of chargepoints by 2030, government announces

The government has unveiled plans to support the UK market reach 300,000 public electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints by 2030 – equivalent to almost five times the number of fuel pumps on our roads today.

Backed by £1.6 billion, under the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, charging will become easier and cheaper than refuelling a petrol or diesel car, while new legal requirements on operators will see drivers of EVs able to pay by contactless, compare charging prices and find nearby chargepoints via apps.

The new strategy sets out the government’s aim to expand the UK’s charging network, so that it is robust, fair and covers the entire country – as well as improving the consumer experience at all chargepoints, with significant support focused on those without access to off-street parking, and on fast charging for longer journeys.

£500 million will be invested to bring high quality, competitively priced public chargepoints to communities across the UK.

This includes a £450 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund, which will boost projects such as EV hubs and innovative on-street charging, so those without driveways don’t miss out on cleaner transport.

Related: UK manufacturers invest £10.8 billion in EVs since 2011

A pilot scheme for the LEVI fund launching today will see local authorities bid for a share of £10 million in funding, allowing selected areas to work with industry and boost public charging opportunities.

Meanwhile, the LEVI funding includes up to £50 million to fund staff to work on local challenges and public chargepoint planning – ensuring that any development complements all other zero emission forms of travel, such as walking and cycling.

The existing £950 million Rapid Charging Fund will support the rollout of at least 6,000 high powered super-fast chargepoints across England’s motorways by 2035, ensuring the UK continues to lead the Western world in the provision of rapid and ultra-rapid public chargers.

This comes on top of ministers’ pledges to continue addressing any barriers to private sector rollout of chargepoints, such as local councils delaying planning permission and high connection costs.

Ambitious and innovative chargepoint operators are already committed to installing an additional 15,000 rapid chargepoints across England’s entire road network – a quadrupling of the current offer – and over 100,000 on-street chargepoints by 2025.

Related: Department for Transport issues electric vehicle guidance for recovery operators

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We’re powering ahead with plans to help British people go electric, with our expanding charging network making journeys easier right across the country.

“Clean transport isn’t just better for the environment, but is another way we can drive down our dependence on external energy supplies.

“It will also create new high-skilled jobs for our automotive and energy sectors and ultimately secure more sustainable and affordable motoring for all.”

The government is mandating that operators provide real-time data about chargepoints.

It is ensuring that consumers can compare prices and seamlessly pay for their charging using contactless cards.

They will also be able to use apps to find their nearest available chargepoint.

These plans will also require a 99 per cent reliability rate at rapid chargepoints to ensure they are world-class and give consumers confidence in finding chargepoints that work wherever they travel – helping eradicate so-called ‘range anxiety’.

Related: MP calls for stricter DPF testing during MOT

Even with recent trends in electricity prices, EVs still benefit from lower fuel, running and maintenance costs than their petrol and diesel equivalents and the strategy hopes to encourage drivers across the nation to make the switch.

Production costs also continue to fall and some analysts expect purchase price parity with petrol and diesel cars to be reached well within the 2020s.

This forms part of wider government plans to reduce the UK’s reliance on imports of foreign oil, improving the security of our energy supply and reducing the country’s vulnerability to volatility in global energy prices.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “No matter where you live – be that a city centre or rural village, the north, south, east or west of the country – we’re powering up the switch to electric and ensuring no one gets left behind in the process.

“The scale of the climate challenge ahead of us all is well known and decarbonising transport is at the very heart of our agenda.

“That’s why we’re ensuring the country is EV-fit for future generations by the end of this decade, revolutionising our charging network and putting the consumer first.”

2 Comments

  1. Why? Does anybody know if the charge sockets burn out?
    Only reducing tailpipe emissions

    Look for the video on youtube of electric jcb digger. Same power as diesel one, lasts two hours. Then takes eight hours to charge off a diesel
    Generator!

    Night time pizza delivery, solar charged, sleeping during the day in America yes do it, otherwise. Pah!

    Dinosaur juice been coming out the ground 100+ years at an alarming rate as it is.

    Reply
  2. Approx 40 million cars on Britains road and there are going to be another 300,000 public charging stations, long queues then, for the expected so called clean electric vehicles that take hours to charge and not just minutes to refuel. Will there be camp beds and food wagons on site?

    Reply

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