UK councils lacking residential EV charging strategies

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【Summary】A study by Vauxhall reveals that over 70% of UK councils lack an official strategy for residential EV charging. 69% of councils have not installed a single on-street vehicle charger, despite increasing EV sales. Only 14,188 charge points are planned for installation by the end of 2023, falling short of the government's target of 300,000 chargers by 2030. London will have over double the number of on-street charge points compared to the rest of the UK combined.

FutureCar Staff Aug 15, 2023 6:29 AM PT

UK councils lacking residential EV charging strategies

A new study has revealed that the majority of UK councils lack a strategy for providing electric vehicle (EV) charging points. Vauxhall collected data which showed that over 70% of local authorities do not have an official plan for installing chargepoints in residential areas. Furthermore, the study found that 69% of councils have not yet installed a single on-street vehicle charger, despite the increasing sales of EVs in both the new and used markets.

This investigation conducted by Vauxhall involved sending a Freedom of Information request to 414 councils and local authorities across England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Out of the 298 authorities that responded, 45% confirmed that they have no intentions of installing on-street chargers this year. Among the remaining 55% of respondents, it was discovered that only 14,188 charge points are planned for installation by the end of 2023.

This figure falls significantly short of the government's target of having 300,000 working chargers by 2030. However, in London alone, there are currently 12,708 residential chargers, with an additional 6,397 planned installations over the next year. This means that the city will soon have a total of 19,105 on-street charge points, which is more than double the number available in all other regions of the UK combined.

James Taylor, the managing director of Vauxhall, emphasized the importance of on-street charging provision, stating that it not only benefits residents without off-street parking but also supports businesses. Approximately four in 10 company-owned electric vans are charged at home by employees, so the widespread availability of charge points will enable businesses to transition to electric vehicles and assist van drivers in topping up their vehicles at home or during residential jobs.

In collaboration with charging providers char.gy, Connected Kerb, and SureCharge, Vauxhall has established an 'Enablement Fund' to assist councils in understanding the need for on-street charging. It is worth noting that all the data provided in the study was accurate as of July 1.