New rules have been put into place by the UK Government that will make access to electric car recharging infrastructure easier for drivers.
As part of the Vehicle Technology and Aviation Bill 2017, charge point network operators could be made to provide cross-network access for customers.
Motorway services and large petrol stations could be made to provide EV charging points too, and possibly include hydrogen refuelling stations on site.
With the new bill, the Government has the ability to enforce aspects of electric vehicle recharging or refuelling to be simplified. Among considerations is creating standardised payment systems, whether that be via apps, RFID cards, or credit/debit cards.
Also, the potential is there to standardise recharging/refuelling pricing. Hydrogen is widely charged in £/kg and that is likely to remain with the refuelling infrastructure in its infancy. However, EV charging is often priced at £/kWh or £/minute – potentially confusing users as to costs.
John Hayes, Minister of State for Transport said: “If we are to accelerate the use of electric vehicles we must take action now and be ready to take more action later.
“I recognise that to encourage more drivers to go electric, the infrastructure needs to become even more widespread than the 11,000 charging points already in place and more straightforward. We are determined to do all we can to make electric vehicles work for everyone and these new laws will help make this a reality.”
