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Funding for chargepoints on residential streets doubled
again to ensure postcode plays no part in how easy it is to use
an electric car
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Real-time information could also be made available,
helping cut waiting times by showing which chargepoints are
currently being used
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In future open data on public chargepoints would allow
for information to be added to sat navs and travel
apps
Charging and driving an electric vehicle will be easier,
cheaper and more convenient in the future, thanks to double the
funding for more chargepoints on residential streets next year
and new plans to make sure drivers can easily access real-time
information about places to charge their electric
car.
The Transport Secretary today (Tuesday 21 January 2020)
announced that government funding will be doubled to £10m for the
installation of chargepoints on residential streets next year.
This could fund up to another 3,600 chargepoints across the
country and make charging at home and overnight easier for those
without an off-street parking space.
The Government is also looking at how to make information
about all public chargepoints including locations and power
ratings openly available in a standard format for the first time.
The Department for Transport will look at how real-time
information could be published, showing whether chargepoints are
in working order and currently in use, which could then be used
by developers and incorporated into sat navs and route mapping
apps
Ensuring that charging an electric vehicle is a convenient
and simple process is crucial to meeting the Government’s
ambitions of phasing out petrol and diesel cars.
Transport Secretary said:
“We want to make electric cars the new normal, and ensuring
drivers have convenient places to charge is key to
that.
“By doubling funding again for chargepoints on streets
where people live and opening up data we are helping drivers
easily locate and use affordable, reliable chargepoints whether
at home or on the road.”
Future of Transport Minister
said:
“The new Government is accelerating UK leadership in
digitalisation and decarbonisation through our Future of
Transport strategy.
“Supporting the smart use of open data for new apps to help
passengers and drivers plan journeys, and to reduce congestion
and pollution, is key.
“Comprehensive chargepoint data is crucial for mapping
charging hotspots and notspots for consumers, to help to drive
forward the electric vehicle revolution.
“We urge local councils to make use of the funding
available to ensure their residents feel the benefits of cleaner
transport.”
Government and industry have supported the installation of
over 17,000 devices providing over 24,000 publicly available
chargepoints, of which over 2,400 are rapid chargepoints. The UK
now has one of the largest charging networks in Europe with more
locations where you can charge your car than there are petrol
stations.
The Government has already challenged industry to provide
debit and credit card payment at all newly installed rapid
chargepoints and develop a roaming solution across the charging
network, allowing electric vehicle drivers to use any public
chargepoint through a single app or payment method.
The announcement today follows the establishment of the
Government’s National Chargepoint Registry (NCR) in 2011, which
is an open source of data for all public chargepoints. All
publicly funded chargepoints are already required to be uploaded
onto the NCR, but the Government now aims to ensure information
on all public chargepoints is released.
