Sunday, December 22, 2024
Infrastructure and TechnologyLatestNews

Call to create “community EV charging” to fill infrastructure gap

A call has been made by JustPark to share charging facilities ahead of the requirement to hit almost half-a-million EV chargers by 2030.

To date, only 39,000 public charging facilities are available, and charging technology provider JustPark is calling for all EV chargers to be listed in order to fill the gap. The move from private operators to create a bridge of community charging points would allow the UK to meet its target, the company claims.

Currently, only a further 4,000 charging points will be added from £20m of government funds. This is around only 35 chargers per local authority for the next four years – and some 126 councils have no plans to fit charging at all. Without central government grants, councils are unable to finance charging, due to the average £6,000 per point cost.

JustPark’s appeal for community charging could assist with a solution incurring less costs and is less disruptive to local areas, it claims. By helping to grow the private charging network and making it publicly available, it will enable the government to meet net-zero.

Anthony Eskinazi, Founder and CEO of JustPark, said: “Despite great progress and significant backing from the treasury, the UK is not on track to have the required infrastructure in place to support the mass adoption of electric vehicles, especially for drivers without access to off-street parking. Ultimately, we all have the same objectives, and so we are calling on the public to do their bit to help facilitate green mobility.

“With community spirit higher than ever since the start of the pandemic, we are asking people to play a part in driving a more environmentally friendly society, regardless of whether they have gone electric themselves yet.

“People with a charge point already installed can do their bit for their area by sharing it with others on JustPark. This type of community support would help to further increase the adoption of EVs in the next few years.”

Edmund King OBE, AA president, added: “There are varying estimates on the extent of the public charging network required to make the EV revolution work, but we definitely know that those without off-street parking need more help. Hence the AA is fully behind JustPark’s campaign to increase the number of publicly available charging points in the UK.

“We need to work together, exploring all options, to create a charging infrastructure that is fit toservice the increased numbers of EVs that will be on the road.”

“JustPark’s appeal for communities to get involved to help supplement the existing charging network would be an important step in helping us reach these targets.”

Image from Shutterstock

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