Press Story

Report shows ‘significant progress’ should give drivers confidence, says IPPR

More are needed in rural areas and government should make accessibility standards compulsory

IPPR has reacted to the National Audit Office report on the rollout of public EV charging points (to be published at 0001 December 13).

Dr Maya Singer-Hobbs, senior research fellow in IPPR’s energy, climate and infrastructure team, said:

“An extensive public charging network is key to supporting people to make the shift to electric vehicles. This new report shows significant progress has been made in the rollout of public chargers, and should provide many with the confidence to make their next vehicle an electric one.

“However, behind the headline figure, this report reveals the risk that some people and places are being left behind in being able to access a suitable public charger. Despite the Department for Transport creating standards for charge-point accessibility, it hasn’t made these compulsory, meaning that much of current public charging network is not accessible to drivers with disabilities.

“Similarly, charger coverage in rural communities is low, making it harder for people to adopt the use of EVs. Government must focus its resources in filling those gaps and mandating accessibility standards.

“IPPR’s research demonstrates that the public support in principle the move to electric vehicles. Many people who hesitate to buy one do so because of worries that they are impractical – a concern which has unfortunately been fuelled by misinformation campaigns. The government should dispel these myths through a national public communication plan and set out a cast iron guarantee that affordable, accessible public chargers will soon be easily available in many more areas.”