Car industry bosses have called for coordinated action to ensure that future electric car charging infrastructure to drivers.
The Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has outlined an action plan that it hopes will drive collaborations between the government, industry and other stakeholders. The industry body is calling for improved infrastructure rollout, and is calling for the creation of an independent regulator to monitor the network.
Last year more than one in nine cars sold in the UK were fully electric, with 190,000 EVs sold in 2021. This was more than had been sold in the previous five years combined, with electric cars making up a record 11.6% share of the UK market.
The Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) highlighted that between 2019 and 2021 there had been a 280.3% increase in the number of plug-in cars on the road (including EVs and plug-in hybrids), but only a 69.8% increase in charging points.
Other data from the SMMT highlighted the reliance of EV owners on their home chargers and that there was a growing regional divide in chargepoint availability.
The SMMT's seven-point plan highlights the need to focus more on consumers with significant investment needed in all types of charge point.
The plan also calls for more incentives and support for public charging infrastructure, as well as the implementation of future-proofed devices that will have good longevity.
Alongside the plan, the industry is asking for the creation of a new regulatory body, ‘Ofcharge’ (the Office of Charging), to monitor the charging network, to ensure that charging is ‘affordable, accessible and available to all’.
“Our plan puts the consumer at the heart of this transition, assuring them of the best possible experience backed by an independent regulator,” said SMMT chief executive, Mike Hawes.
“With clear, equivalent targets and support for operators and local authorities that match consumer needs, the government can ensure the UK has a charge point network that makes electric mobility a reality for all.”
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