Heavier electric vehicle (EV) charging cables are creating a major barrier for disabled drivers and threatening to exclude more than a million people from the UK’s transition to electric transport, according to a new report.
The findings from EVA England’s Cable Weight Survey Report is based on a national survey of EV drivers in 2025, which shows that more than half (51%) of drivers with disabilities find heavier ultra-rapid EV charging cables hard or extremely hard to use.
Even at slower charging speeds, significant numbers of disabled drivers report difficulties that limit their ability to travel independently, it reported.
The study also found more than half of disabled drivers struggle with ultra-rapid (up to 350kW) charger cables, 53% had some difficulty with rapid (up to 50kW) chargers and even at slower speeds, 28% experienced difficulties using fast chargers (up to 22kW).
The Planning and Infrastructure Bill, currently at Committee Stage in the House of Lords, is proposing changes to speed up new chargepoint installations by granting installers access to a much simpler and cost-effective permit system to carry out essential street works – similar to major telecoms and energy providers.
A coalition of EV-focused organisations including EVA England and the Motability Foundation are proposing a small amendment to the Bill that would provide Government with the necessary powers to enforce accessibility requirements in the future if needed.
This amendment was tabled in the House of Commons by Sir Jeremy Wright MP, but not accepted by the Government at that stage.
Despite rapid progress in EV infrastructure – with over 80,000 public charge points now available across the UK – just 2.3% are currently considered accessible to disabled users. By 2035, around 1.35 million disabled people are expected to rely on public charging.
Survey participants described physical strain, risk of falling, and needing to ask strangers for help when using charging cables. One respondent said that they “needed to ask for help” at services and “almost overbalanced with weight of the cable”. Another said their disabled wife “could currently not manage any rapid or ultra-rapid cables at all”.
The current accessibility concerns are widespread, and 2022 saw the publication of the PAS 1899 standard – the Government-backed EV chargepoint accessibility guidelines providing a minimum standard for compliance with common accessibility requirements.
But compliance with PAS 1899 is voluntary, and few chargepoints are currently considered fully compliant. The Government is working with EV sector stakeholders, including EVA England, to review and update the standard and publish new guidance to make sure that all drivers, regardless of their ability, can use public charging infrastructure. Today’s Cable Weight Survey Report will feed into that process.
Vicky Edmonds, Chief Executive of EVA England, said:
“The UK’s EV rollout is a major success story. But for over a million drivers with disabilities, it risks becoming one of exclusion. Heavy charging cables make public EV charging difficult or impossible for many. If we don’t prioritise accessibility now, we’re locking millions of people out of electric driving for years, possibly even decades. That is why this report is so important – it will feed into important work with Government and industry to ensure accessibility standards truly reflect everyday drivers’ needs.
“But we can do more. A few targeted changes to the Planning and Infrastructure Bill currently making its way through Parliament, for instance, could provide the additional guarantees drivers with disabilities urgently need. I would urge Parliamentarians to take this unique opportunity to act now. This Report, more broadly, is a vital reminder that accessibility isn’t optional, it’s essential.”
Nigel Fletcher, Chief Executive of the Motability Foundation said:
“There is a serious risk of disabled people being left behind in the rollout of public EV chargepoints, an issue which we have been raising at the Motability Foundation for a number of years. From our own research, we know that heavy charging cables are one of the key barriers to accessible public charging, and this new report from EVA England highlights how significant an issue this is. The findings will feed into the review of the PAS 1899 standard that we are currently working on alongside the Government.”
Vicky Read, CEO of ChargeUK said:
“Our members are working to deliver charging that is as convenient and affordable as possible.
“Along with EVA England and other partners we have been part of the working group that is reviewing the current PAS 1899 specifications, including the aspects that relate to cable weights, to ensure they support our shared goal of delivering accessible charging.
“We expect that process to report shortly and look forward to working with government and with partners across the sector to deliver appropriate recommendations”.
Warren Philips, Chair of EVA England, said:
“Accessibility standards are for everyone, not only drivers with disabilities. As someone who has cared for elderly relatives I know first-hand just how important it is to have basic standards in place to meet day-to-day needs. While charging costs or numbers of chargers may be the headline grabbers, this remains an oft-discussed yet absolutely essential aspect of EV charging we need to get right.”
Image of report courtesy of EVA England
