CLOCKING OUT
Mark Winn , Head of EV Strategy , SMS players in the market . Steps are being taken in the right direction with the recently established ChargeUK , a trade body for the EV charging industry , which is publicly committed to investing billions of pounds to deliver and operate a world-class charging infrastructure by 2030 . But collectively we must create a comprehensive roadmap for the rollout of public chargers centred around the all-important three Rs – Right location . Right time . Right speed .
What is required to take EV infrastructure to the next level ?
One of the main stumbling blocks when it comes to infrastructure , is that there is no clear responsibility for the rollout of the UK ’ s public EV chargers . The UK government is working closely with local authorities in a bid to speed up installations , but with budget deficits being felt by boroughs nationwide , there is a danger that certain regions may be subject to an ‘ EV charge point divide ’. To help avoid this , the government has committed up to £ 1.6 billion of funding in the form of grants , which includes at least £ 500m to support local authorities to plan and deliver local public charging infrastructure , as well as a £ 450m Local EV Infrastructure ( LEVI ) fund .
However , public investment alone won ’ t cut it ; private funds are what is needed to really drive the rollout forward . According to the Green Finance Institute , the investment needed to install 300,000 EV charge points by 2030 sits at £ 20 billion , making the government grants a drop in the EV ocean .
Therefore , in order to ensure the right level of public EV charging is available across the UK , it is critical that – alongside the government and local authorities – property developers and landowners , as well as the retail , hospitality and leisure industries are part of the mix . But the secret to success is working together , not trying to fasttrack rollout on a solo expedition , which could – and is – coming at the expense of consumers .
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