-
all new electric vehicle rapid and higher powered
chargepoints should provide ‘pay as you go’ debit or credit
card payment option
-
government prepared to intervene to ensure a good deal
for consumers by using powers in the Automated and Electric
Vehicles Act
-
announcement follows the Prime Minister’s commitment
that the government will work with industry to build out the
national network of high speed electric vehicle
charging
The government has today (15 July 2019) set out that it wants to
see all newly installed rapid and higher powered chargepoints
provide debit or credit card payment by spring 2020.
One year since the launch of the Road to Zero Strategy,
the government has signalled it expects industry to develop a
roaming solution across the charging network, allowing electric
vehicle drivers to use any public chargepoint through a single
payment method without needing multiple smartphone apps or
membership cards.
Government and industry have supported the installation of over
20,000 publicly accessible chargepoints in the UK, including more
than 2,000 rapid devices, making it one of the largest charging
networks in Europe. There are now more locations where you can
charge your car than there are petrol stations, with almost every
motorway service area having at least one rapid chargepoint.
To increase confidence in the charging network and reduce range
anxiety the government is working with industry to make
chargepoint data freely available, helping drivers easily locate
and access available chargepoints.
Future of Mobility Minister, , said:
The government’s vision is for the UK to have one of the best
electric vehicle charging networks in the world, but we know
the variety of payment methods at the moment is a source of
frustration for drivers.
It is crucial there are easy payment methods available to
improve electric vehicle drivers’ experiences and give drivers
choice. This will help even more people enjoy the benefits
electric vehicles bring and speed up our journey to a
zero-emission future.
Business and Industry Minister said:
Initiatives like this are essential as we move towards a net
zero economy, making it easier than ever for people to own and
use electric vehicles.
Investing in batteries, technology and infrastructure through
our modern Industrial Strategy and
Faraday battery challenge will ensure the UK leads the
world in the global transition away from fossil fuels while
supporting the future of our automotive industry.
This announcement comes as BP Chargemaster, the operator of the
UK’s largest public charging network, has taken a major step
forward for industry by committing to introducing card payment on
all new 50kW and 150kW chargers from today. It will also retrofit
its existing UK-made rapid chargers with the technology over the
next 12 months.
David Newton, CEO at BP Chargemaster, said:
As the operator of the UK’s largest public charging network,
including the greatest number of rapid chargers, we support the
government’s vision for all new rapid and ultra-fast chargers
to support contactless bank card payment.
We will be going one step further, not only by introducing this
facility on all new 50kW and 150kW chargers from today, but
also by committing to retrofit our existing UK-made rapid
chargers with this technology over the next 12 months.
This follows the Prime Minister’s announcement last week that the
government wants to see the development of a high speed electric
vehicle charging infrastructure nationally; with the Office
for Low Emission Vehicles to lead a review on the vision for the
network.
The government has made clear that if the market is too slow to
deliver improvements across the entire network it is prepared to
intervene to ensure a good deal for consumers by using powers in
the Automated and Electric
Vehicles Act.
Following regulation from government, improvements have already
been made by operators, including increasing the accessibility of
their chargepoints by offering payment via smartphone apps and
contactless payment systems.
