Major players across the UK’s electric vehicle (EV) charging sector have united to back the Office for Zero Emission Vehicle’s (OZEV) new call for evidence on chargepoint signage.
In a coordinated response, InstaVolt, char.gy, Electric Vehicles UK and Octopus Electric Vehicles are calling for EV charging to be treated on an equal footing with petrol in national road sign regulations – and for clear, consistent signage across motorways, A-roads and residential streets.
InstaVolt’s 2025 consumer polling found that over half of drivers actively look for roadside signs to find EV chargers, and nearly nine in ten say clear physical signage is important to them.
Delvin Lane, CEO of InstaVolt, said that it welcomed the call for evidence as a “positive step” towards “fixing one of the most overlooked barriers to EV uptake”.
He added that EV charging locations are “treated very differently to petrol stations in the rules that govern road signs”, and public chargers are “not obviously signposted from key routes”.
As a result, InstaVolt was calling for:
- Put EV charging on an equal footing with fuel in the road sign regulations.
- Roll out clear, consistent symbols and pre-signs for chargers on motorways, A-Roads and key urban routes.
- Make it simpler for councils to add EV charging to existing direction signs where hubs already exist.
Lane added:
“This is a low-cost, high-impact intervention. Better signage increases use of the chargers we already have, and sends a powerful public signal that the UK’s charging network is real, reliable and ready today.”
In addition, on-street network char.gy is urging the government to ensure the review covers residential, lamppost and kerbside chargepoints – not just rapid chargers on main roads.
John Lewis, CEO of char.gy, said it urged the government and local authorities to offer signage for on-street and lamppost chargepoints.
It called for home-adjacent charging to be visible, reduce anxiety and confusion for new and prospective EV drivers – showing charging is available on ordinary streets, as well as stating that a chargepoint that isn’t signposted “isn’t delivering its full potential”.
Lewis said:
“As we continue deploying thousands of public EV chargers in partnership with local authorities, signage policy must evolve alongside this growth. That’s why we’re working with Brighton and Hove City Council and the British Parking Association to help shape future signage standards, and have submitted a proposed design with the ambition of it becoming the national EV charging sign.”
Tanya Sinclair, CEO of Electric Vehicles UK, said:
“Drivers cannot use infrastructure they cannot see. If we are serious about confidence in the EV transition, charging must be signposted as clearly and consistently as petrol. This is not a technology issue. It is a visibility issue, and if we can fix it, we will bring confidence to current and future EV drivers.”
“Other than the vehicles themselves, signage is one of the most visible ways drivers build confidence in going electric. Clear, consistent signage makes charging feel normal and navigable. It’s why many countries have moved quickly to standardise it. The UK has not.
“That lack of progress is frustrating, because this is one of the simplest and lowest-cost ways government could support driver confidence and accelerate adoption.”
Fiona Howarth, Founder and Director of Octopus Electric Vehicles, said:
“Households with driveways can cut petrol costs by up to 80% by going electric. Now we need to make sure everyone can share those savings by clearly signposting low cost kerbside charging.
“With pay per mile tax expected in two years, government has a real opportunity to make charging simple, visible, and affordable on every street. If we get that right, more drivers can get their hands on EVs and discover just how great they are.”
Ginny Buckley, the chief executive of Electrifying.com, the electric car buying and advice site said:
“Range anxiety hasn’t disappeared – it’s evolved. In a joint survey between Electrifying.com and the AA of over 11,000 UK drivers, around 90% said they believe the UK needs more charging infrastructure. Yet there are now roughly 90,000 public chargers installed across the country, with a new one being fitted every half an hour.
“In many cases, that perceived gap isn’t availability – it’s visibility. Drivers are used to seeing petrol station signs from miles away.EV charging should be no different. Clear, consistent signage will play a powerful role in helping drivers feel confident about making the switch.”
Image courtesy of Green Car Guide
