UK needs ‘step change’ in EV charging rollout, report says

Ahead of the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars in support of the UK’s net zero goals, companies including EY, UKPN, Motability,Mitie Group PLC and Connected Kerb are calling for a ‘supercharged’ infrastructure rollout — described by Connected Kerb's CEO Chris Pateman-Jones as ‘absolutely fundamental to achieving a cleaner and fairer transport future’.

The report, ‘How to meet the UK’s EV charging needs by 2030’, draws on consumer research and insights from 11 industry experts. It outlines what national and local government, investors, developers and charging point providers must do to ensure the UK can deliver ‘ubiquitous, affordable and easy-to access’ charging.

Research from the SMMT found that despite increasing EV registrations in the UK, the ratio of EV charge points to plug-in cars deteriorated by 31 per cent during 2020 alone. This puts Britain’s current ratio (16:1) behind other countries including South Korea (3:1), the Netherlands (5:1) and France (10:1). Motability predicts that the number of charge points will need to increase ten-fold by 2030 to cater to the new numbers of EV drivers.