Electric vehicle owners have raised concerns about the lack of on-street charging infrastructure in the United Kingdom. They are now urging the government to take action ahead of the local and mayoral elections in May 2024.
Vauxhall’s study stresses on-street charging need
Stellantis-owned British brand Vauxhall’s recent study highlighted the urgent need for more on-street chargers in the UK.
As mentioned, the automaker released the study ahead of England and Wales’ local and mayoral elections on May 2.
The study revealed that only 10% of electric vehicle owners are satisfied with the number of on-street chargers in their area. In Wales, satisfaction rates fell as low as 4%.
Unfortunately, only 25% of the respondents noticed the inclusion of charging infrastructure concerns in the political manifestos and canvassing of local government candidates.
In addition, 75% of the EV drivers admitted reliance on local government to deploy on-street chargers to support the transition. However, only 30% of the respondents said that their local council has some sort of support for interested EV buyers. Support level is notably lower in regions beyond London, as per the study.
“Electric vehicle charging infrastructure is just one of many concerns that should be discussed in great detail ahead of this year’s local and mayoral elections. While recent figures show charge point numbers are increasing, our latest research highlights how drivers are increasingly reliant on their Local Authorities to make sure infrastructure needs are being met.”
James Taylor, Managing Director, Vauxhall
London sets a good example in EV infra initiatives
London stands out as a symbol of hope amidst the increasing concerns about the lack of available and accessible charging infrastructures in the UK.
Impressively, 60% of the EV owners in London perceived sufficient support from their local councils.
It is also currently the sole region where more than 50% of EV owners actively observed charging infrastructure concerns in political campaigns, according to the study.
Accelerating EV uptake through charging infra advancement
Electric vehicle owners continue to call for the government to expand the current charging network in the UK. Despite the deployment of almost 60,000 new charge points nationwide, the growing number of electric vehicles on the roads will continue to need more chargers to fill the gap.
The government must adhere to EV owners’ concerns and take initiatives to expand charging infrastructure in the UK. Failing to do so may impede the shift to electric vehicles and compromise the country’s climate goals.
On top of an online database for EV drivers to register charging needs in their area, Vauxhall also introduced an “Enablement Fund” to aid local authorities in charging infrastructure-related issues. Leading charging operators char.gy, Connected Kerb and SureCharge signed up to aid the program in elevating local authorities’ insight on the issues.
