The UK government has announced new regulations that will require public electric vehicle (EV) chargers to be 99% reliable.
The new rules, which are set to come into force later this year, are part of the government’s efforts to boost the uptake of EVs and ensure that drivers have a reliable charging network.
The regulations will cover all public EV chargers, including rapid chargers, fast chargers, and slow chargers. Operators of public EV chargers will be required to maintain their chargers in a fully-operational condition and to have a 24/7 helpline in case of problems.
The government hopes that the new regulations will help to address the issue of range anxiety, which is a major barrier to the uptake of EVs. Range anxiety is the fear that an EV will run out of battery power before the driver can reach their destination. A reliable charging network will help to reduce range anxiety and make it more appealing for drivers to switch to EVs.
The new regulations are also expected to boost the UK’s economy. The government estimates that the EV market could be worth £200 billion by 2030, and that the new regulations could create up to 100,000 jobs.
“We’re determined to make the UK a world-leader in electric vehicles,” said Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. “These new regulations will ensure that drivers have a reliable charging network, helping to boost the uptake of EVs and create jobs.”
The new regulations have been welcomed by the EV industry. “This is a major step forward for the EV industry,” said Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. “These new regulations will give drivers the confidence to switch to EVs, knowing that they will have a reliable charging network.”
The new regulations are part of the government’s wider EV Infrastructure Strategy, which was published in November 2021. The strategy sets out a plan to install 300,000 public EV chargers by 2030.
The government is also investing £1.6 billion in the EV charging infrastructure. This investment will help to ensure that there is a sufficient number of public EV chargers to meet the growing demand for EVs.
The new regulations and the government’s investment in the EV charging infrastructure are a major boost for the EV industry. They will help to make EVs more appealing to drivers and will help to accelerate the transition to a zero-emissions transport sector.
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