The UK Government has announced its Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, with one of the key elements being the roll out of 300,000 public chargers by 2030.
Also included in the plans are requirements for charge point operators to allow contactless bank card payment, and easily compare prices.
There are currently a little over 30,000 public charge points across the UK, and the past few years have seen a 60% increase every 12 months, despite the impacts of Covid.
Backed by a £1.6 billion fund, the infrastructure strategy aims to make recharging an electric car on a public point as easy and simple as refuelling a petrol or diesel car.
Intentions are to level up the UK’s charging infrastructure, so that there are points anywhere in the country, not just in large urban centres.
This includes the existing £950 million Rapid Charging Fund, which supports the installation of charge points along England’s motorways and major trunk roads by 2035.
An additional £500 million is being made available for a Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Fund (LEVI), which is intended to help create EV charging hubs, and boost on-street charging infrastructure.
YourParkingSpace supports the move, but stresses that the money must be spent in the right areas and in the best way. Charge points need to suit use cases - ultra-rapid at motorways, slow at long-stay airport car parks for example - and balance evenly across the UK so that EV drivers can rely on a comprehensive and reliable EV charging infrastructure that’s fit for purpose.
Edmund King, AA president, said: "As we advance quickly to the 2030 deadline for new zero-emission vehicles, it is vital that we get our charging infrastructure in order. While great progress has been made, there is still much to do to convince drivers on the number, and importantly reliability, of charge posts.
"To bring confidence and power to potential electric car drivers we need more, and more reliable and accessible charge points as soon as possible."
