Saturday, December 21, 2024
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NAO: charge points “on track” but government faces challenges

Public electric vehicle chargepoint installations areon track to meet the minimum 300,000 needed across the UK by 2030, but government faces challenges, according to a new National Audit Office (NAO) report.

The report said issues included addressing the location of charge points, their accessibility and wider barriers such as planning rules. Current installations are in line with projections made by the Department for Transport (DfT), through the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles (OZEV).

DfT anticipates that its local charge point programme and continued growth in private installations will support the trajectory needed to reach 300,000 by 2030.

But while the overall number of charge point installations is on track, the estimate does not account for where charge points should be installed, it said. In addition, there was a regional divide with 44% of public charge points in the UK installed in London and the South-East, while only 15% of charge points in England are in rural areas. London has more charge points installed per capita than any other region.

The local electric vehicle infrastructure (LEVI) has also faced delays as local authority plans are taking longer to develop than DfT expected, and an established procurement route proving no longer feasible. Consequently, further government support may be needed, it reported.

The location of charge points is also an issue along the strategic road network with some areas not having sufficient charge points. In 2020, the government announced an aim for six ultra-rapid charge points at every motorway service area in England by 2023, but from July 2024, 62% of service areas have met this. 

The NAO also said the UK’s overall charge point rollout is being hindered because it is slower and more expensive than it needs to be for charge point operators to get planning permissions and electricity grid connections. In response, government is working with stakeholders to streamline planning and connection processes where possible, and is considering more fundamental reform, including looking at rules around highway consents and gaining landowner permissions for development.

Consumers also have numerous concerns over using public charge points, with government putting in place regulation to address this issue. These concerns include complexity in using charge points, with operators having different ways to pay; pricing being unclear or unduly expensive; and malfunctioning or inoperative charge points.

Drivers with disabilities have been left behind in the rollout to date as well with many charge points – and their surrounding environments – have features that make them inaccessible. Industry and local authorities have reported further clarity is needed on compliance, and DfT has established a technical group to address these issues.

Gareth Davies, head of the NAO said:

“Government’s estimate of the 300,000 public electric vehicle charge points needed by 2030 appears achievable, although there is more to do to ensure adequate coverage in all parts of the country. Government is using regulation to improve the user experience of public charge points and needs to address access for people with disabilities.”

Matt Adams, Transport Policy Manager for RECHARGE UK said:

“The news today from the National Audit Office that we are on track to hit the Government’s target of 300,000 charge points by 2030 should add extra confidence that wherever you are, charging infrastructure has been or soon will be built for you.” 

Vicky Read, CEO of ChargeUK said: 

“This is yet more evidence that ChargeUK members are delivering for the UK.

“The NAO report backs up the research in our own White Paper that found that we are on track to deliver over 300,000 public charge points by 2030.

“A new charge point is added to the network every 25 minutes on average. We are delivering at the scale and pace necessary to support the transition to electric vehicles. Now the challenge is to stay on track, and for that to happen government must pay heed to the recommendations in this report and tackle the remaining barriers holding us back from going even further and faster.

“Planning permission and grid connections need to be simpler and faster. And we would like to see the Local EV Infrastructure scheme get going at pace to facilitate the vital roll out in all parts of the UK. Finally, speculation over the ZEV mandate must stop. Government must publicly recommit to the rules as they stand and resist pressure to meddle in order to maintain a healthy flow of investment into our sector, so we can keep delivering the charging that the UK needs.”

Melanie Shufflebotham, Co-founder and COO, Zapmap:

“Zapmap’s latest annual survey showed that 61% of EV drivers think the charging network has improved, but there were still concerns as have been identified in this latest report.  

“Over the past couple of years there has been a significant leap forward in the number of charge points available to EV drivers, particularly the crucial ultra-rapid chargers and charging hubs to support EV drivers on longer journeys. These are quite well-spread across the country too whilst the slower local chargers, important for drivers who can’t charge at home, is where we see the issue of geographical concentration. Having access to charging at a local level is essential for an equitable transition to electric vehicles and the LEVI fund has been put in place to help deliver this, but as the NAO has identified delays remain. The UK’s EV charging network has seen transformational growth, but more still needs to be done to ensure it is fairer for drivers regardless of where they live.”

Image from Shutterstock

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