The government led by Andy Burnham has confirmed a £600m investment to expand the network of electric vehicle (EV) charge points. This new funding is intended to build on the existing infrastructure of 120,000 public chargers and over a million chargers installed in homes and workplaces across the UK.
Additional funding and potential savings
The £600m injection adds to the £400m already allocated to deliver more than 100,000 additional public chargers nationwide. Government analysis indicates that drivers who charge their EVs at home can save around £1,400 a year on running costs compared to petrol or diesel vehicles.
Furthermore, the government has found that landlords, flat owners, and renters can now reduce the cost of installing a home charger by nearly half, thanks to grants of up to £500.
Industry and stakeholder reactions
Mike Hawes, Chief Executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), commented: “The automotive industry is fully committed to a zero-emission future, investing billions in new technologies, products and incentives. However, with the ZEV Mandate conceived under vastly different conditions, this welcome review is a timely opportunity to adjust the transition so it works for all.”
He added: “That means a commercially sustainable transition which supports UK competitiveness, investment and jobs whilst delivering greater choice and affordability for motorists – the sooner, the better.”
Support for the ZEV mandate
Gurjeet Grewal, CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles, said: “The ZEV mandate is working – giving manufacturers confidence to invest and drivers confidence to switch. Weakening it now would send exactly the wrong signal, just as EVs are becoming some of the best-value cars on the road. Carbon Brief estimates weaker targets could cost consumers £3bn a year in expensive petrol by 2030. We should be accelerating the transition, not creating another policy wobble that leaves drivers, businesses and the UK economy paying the price.”
Vicky Edmonds, Chief Executive Officer of EVA England, stated: “The Government should look honestly at why EV demand has not grown as quickly as expected. But the answer is not to lower the ambition of the ZEV mandate - which has been absolutely critical for creating a market of EVs that people want to buy. It has to be to fix the things that are stopping drivers from making the switch. Our members and surveys show that there is still significant untapped demand for electric vehicles, but drivers need a better deal. That means targeting incentives where they will make the biggest difference, tackling the unfair premium paid by people who rely on public charging, and making sure the charging network is reliable, simple and convenient to use. A chargepoint that does not work when a driver needs it might as well not be there.”
She concluded: “The mandate was always only one part of the transition. If the Government gets the wider support package right, it can give consumers more confidence, stimulate demand and make the existing targets much easier for manufacturers to meet. This consultation is a real opportunity to address those barriers rather than dilute the destination.”
