A disabled driver is set to take on a 2,800-mile return journey from Birmingham to Spain in a fully electric vehicle (EV), testing Europe’s accessible charging network.
Organised by Disabled Motoring UK (DMUK) and supported by the Accessible Vehicle Club, the project will document the real-life challenges of travelling abroad in an electric vehicle (EV) as a disabled person.
It comes as accessibility is still lagging severely behind in the charging network. In the UK, just 2.3% of on-street charge points are currently considered accessible, while standards across Europe are only just being developed.
The journey is being led by Anjna Patel, a DMUK member and trustee, who has lived with severe rheumatoid arthritis for more than two decades.
Despite growing pressure to switch to EVs, Anjna has not switched, due to accessibility concerns and range anxiety. This journey aims to put these concerns to the test.
Travelling with Anjna is DMUK colleague Zoe Rush, who will be providing media coverage and general support. Throughout the journey, Anjna will be auditing and cataloguing the barriers and challenges faced when locating and using the EV charging infrastructure, alongside the added complexities of travelling with mobility issues.
The return journey to Alicante, Spain is expected to take six driving days from 5 May to 13 May, and will require approximately 24 charging stops round-trip.
The additional risks and concerns often faced by women, older people, and disabled people contribute to fears around transitioning to electric vehicles.
Many disabled people, raise concerns relating to inaccessible bays, heavy charging cables and range anxiety. 75% of disabled people who have used EVs, find charge points accessibility is very bad or bad, according to a 2023 survey by Euan’s Guide.
Driving a VW ID.4, Anjna will conduct accessibility audits at each stop, using a framework from the ‘Safer Parking Accessible EV accreditation,’ which follows PAS 1899 standards.
Disabled Motoring UK CEO, Graham Footer said:
“The transition to electric vehicles is accelerating, and it is vital that accessibility is not treated as an afterthought. For many disabled people, the current charging infrastructure presents significant barriers.
“By undertaking this ambitious journey, we aim to shine a light on those real-world challenges and push for meaningful, inclusive change across the EV network in the UK and Europe.”
Joe Logue, Community Manager, Euan’s Guide said:
“As an EV owner I enjoy the comfort of home charging. However, there is always a sense of uncertainty when it comes to longer trips.
“Inconsistent pricing and accessibility add further challenges to what should be an adventure. That is not to say there are no great facilities out there, but until they become the standard rather than the exception, charging will remain a source of uncertainty for disabled people whether driving or being driven.”
Image courtesy of Disabled Motoring
