Importance of EV public charging outlined
A new report has outlined the importance of public charging to the continued growth of the UK’s electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure.
The study from SMS shows that availability and accessibility are crucial as two-thirds of respondents said they would pay a premium for a public charging bay to charge their vehicle.
More than a quarter (27%) are willing to part with as much as £10 to use a public charger and a third would pay a fiver. Some 7% would pay more than £10, highlighting the desire for public charging units.
Highlighting the need for communication, the study of more than 1,000 UK EV drivers also found that 94% love their EV and 67% wanted more knowledge about public charging ahead of transitioning to electric.
Around one-fifth (20%) of drivers said they were reliant on the public network, and a third said they used public charge points ‘a lot’ with a similar amount (31%) saying they only sometimes used them.
The study also highlighted the importance of charging to retail businesses and incentivising customers, with almost half using a public charge-point at a supermarket and 28% at an out of town shopping centre or retail park, and 29% have used a charger at a hotel.
Mark Winn, Head of EV Strategy at SMS, said: “Home EV charging may be on the rise, but it’s critical that the UK’s growing number of EV drivers have adequate access to fully functioning public EV charge points while they are on the move. However, in the race to meet EV charging expectations, targets and market share, companies have deployed – and continue to install – the wrong type of chargers, in the wrong location.
“While we need to exponentially increase the quantity of EV charge points in multiple locations this cannot be at the expense of their quality. Not all EV charge points are created equal and the type required varies depending on where it’s being installed and who is using it.
“EV infrastructure always needs to be planned with three Rs in mind: right time, right location and right speed. EV may be a nascent market, but this doesn’t mean that there is any excuse for providing the public with substandard EV charging solutions. If we want to avoid a public backlash against EV adoption, then greater due diligence must be applied to EV charge point installation deals.”
Image courtesy of SMS
