Thousands of EV drivers face public chargepoint 'inconsistency' as a new report slams the UK's charging infrastructure as 'inconsistent and complex'. Disability Rights UK says campaigners looked at three countries, travelling 3,000 miles and using 24 charging sessions.
Report Highlights Accessibility Failures
The charity said: 'One clear conclusion: no EV charging network used during Disabled Motoring UK's accessibility road trip was fully accessible to a disabled motorist. The EV infrastructure sector is currently one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. Despite being introduced during a period where inclusive design and accessibility are far better understood and acknowledged, accessibility has remained an afterthought rather than a core requirement.'
Their findings are now available in the 'Accessible EV Europe Road Trip' report. The report highlights the challenges experienced by Anjna during the trip and covers chargers in different countries, frequent inconsistent design between chargers, individual charger audits, their best and worst charging experiences, and driving an EV as a disabled person.
Recommendations for Improvement
It also provides recommendations for physical and digital improvements to charging stations and to EVs, which they hope to engage Charge Point Operators (CPOs), local authorities, parking operators, and EV manufacturers to improve the accessibility and usability of public EV charging.
Disabled Motoring UK CEO, Graham Footer said: 'This project showed that disabled motorists can make long-distance journeys in an electric vehicle, but they often have to overcome barriers that non-disabled drivers simply don't face. We found examples of good practice, but no charging network we used was consistently accessible. We hope this report provides practical evidence that helps charge point operators, manufacturers, and policymakers make accessibility a standard feature of future EV infrastructure.'
Urgent Call for Inclusive Infrastructure
Disabled Motoring UK hopes the findings will highlight the urgent need for inclusive EV infrastructure, increase awareness of the barriers disabled motorists continue to face, and improve confidence among disabled drivers by demonstrating that long-distance EV travel is possible. The charity is calling on charge point operators (CPOs), local authorities, EV manufacturers, and policymakers to act on the report's recommendations to ensure disabled motorists are not left behind in the transition to electric vehicles.
