300000 chargers by 2030
The government has committed to making EV charging easier and cheaper.
This announcement comes as part of the Department for Transport’s (DfT) Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy.
To fulfil its ambition, the government will spend £1.6billion to build 300,000 electric vehicle chargers by 2030.
What are the drivers for this decision?
Even though, the government had made a commitment to facilitate the creation of a public charging network by 2030, by its own admission the pace of the rollout had been too slow.
Between 2019 and December 2021, the number of battery-powered electric vehicles went from 2% of all new cars sold to over 25%.
Removing the perceived barrier of an insufficient charging network is one of the main issues in the UK’s adoption of electric vehicles. This announcement demonstrates a clear intent in aiming to meet the needs of the growing number of electric vehicle drivers and encouraging new ones.
How will they achieve it?
The DfT has identified two crucial sectors on which it will focus its efforts.
Firstly, it will focus on ‘high-powered chargers on the strategic road network’. This will be achieved through a rapid charging fund worth £950million.
“We will ensure that every motorway service area has at least six rapid chargers by the end of 2023, with some having more than 12. There will be over 6,000 high powered chargers along our strategic roads by 2035”.
The other crucial focus is the transformation of on-street charging. Through a £500m local infrastructure support programme, the DfT will put an obligation on local authorities to develop and implement local charging strategies.
“These strategies should identify how to provide affordable, convenient charging for residents, businesses including fleets, and visitors without causing pavement disruptions that could discourage walking and cycling”.
How can Cambrian help?
As part of our commitment to innovation and in preparation for the switch to EVs, we now offer the Shell Electric Vehicle card. The card currently covers over 7500 charging points, 950 of which are rapid charging points.
To find out more go to https://www.cambriancards.com/shell-electric-vehicle-card/
Useful Links
Official release – https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/uk-electric-vehicle-infrastructure-strategy
300000 chargers by 2030
