Electric vehicle advocacy groups FairCharge and the RAC have teamed up to release a new UK public charging charter that pushes for improved reliability, accessibility, pricing transparency and inclusivity across the country’s rapidly growing EV charging infrastructure.
The charter outlines six key principles that the organisations believe should serve as minimum standards for the electric vehicle charging industry and government regulators:
- First, charging networks should guarantee 99% uptime for rapid chargers and fix any broken chargers within 48 hours. This will build driver confidence that chargers will work when needed.
- Second, charging data like location, availability and pricing should be freely published so drivers can easily find chargers. Highway signs should also point to nearby rapid charging stations.
- Third, contactless pay and digital receipts should be available so charging is quick and simple.
- Fourth, pricing must be fair, open and honest – VAT should be lowered to 5% like home charging, and pricing displayed clearly in pence per kWh.
- Fifth, networks should guide drivers to only charge as much as needed to avoid idle time at chargers. Fines should discourage petrol cars parking in EV bays.
- Sixth, all new chargers must be fully accessible to disabled drivers and installed in safe, well-lit locations.
The charter has won support from EV advocates like Robert Llewellyn and seeks to push government and industry to meet these world-class charging standards across the UK. As electric vehicles continue to grow in popularity, improving the charging experience will be key to convincing more drivers to make the switch.
Source: RAC.
