The National Audit Office has published a new review concerning the ongoing rollout of electric vehicle chargepoints across the United Kingdom.
The report, which was carried out by the Comptroller and Auditor General, has found that whilst the current operation is on track to meet the minimum government requirement of 300,000 by 2030, several factors are still impeding the process in a number of key areas.
With a current number of 64,632 chargepoints installed across the country thus far, the review has found that 44% of public chargepoints have been installed throughout London and the South-East, with 15% having been installed in more rural areas in England, leaving the capital with more chargepoints per capita than any other region.
Following the introduction of the Department for Transport (DfT)’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) programme, a 450 million GBP initiative running between March 2022-23 and March 2025 aimed at supporting local authorities’ chargepoint rollout, a forecasted minimum 100,000 chargepoints are set to be installed within local authorities.
However, the review has found that delays with the programme, owing to local authorities facing delays of their own, will mean that those signed up to the programme may require further government support as the programme end date passes before installations have been carried out.
Of the issues raised by the review, a key concern pertains to the locations of chargepoints across the strategic road network, namely along motorways and major A-roads.
The NAO concedes that whilst the number of chargepoints installed along these routes thus far has exceeded expectations, many stretches of A-roads are still yet to receive any installations, with a previously announced aim for six ultra-rapid chargepoints per motorway service area in England by 2023 also seeing a fulfilment rate of just 62% as of July 2024.
Another issue raised within the review is the consumer perception of chargepoints, including their operational complexity, unclear pricing, malfunctions and the potential breakdown of the units themselves.
Finally, the review has found that a significant obstacle impeding the rollout is the accessibility of chargepoints to drivers with disabilities.
Upon investigation, it has been found that a large number of chargepoints, as well as their surrounding environments, are situated in locations that render them totally inaccessible for any disabled drivers, including a number of installations having been made on kerbs with nearby obstructions, causing significant issues for wheelchair users looking to utilise the technology.
The DfT’s 2018 inclusive transport strategy stated that 2010’s Equality Act would be applied to the installation of chargepoints, however both industry and local authorities have reported that further clarification is necessary with regards to compliance with the standard, with the DfT having recently established a technical group to address any concerns.
Gareth Davies, head of the NAO, said:Government’s estimate of the 300,000 public electric vehicle chargepoints needed by 2030 appears achievable, although there is more to do to ensure adequate coverage in all parts of the country. Government is using regulation to improve the user experience of public chargepoints and needs to address access for people with disabilities.
The full review from the National Audit Office can be read here.
Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, Chair of the Committee of Public Accounts, stated:While good progress has been made on the rollout of public charging points for electric vehicles, there is still significant variation in their availability across the country.
Issues with planning permissions and electricity grid connections are acting as roadblocks to further progress.
If the government is serious about encouraging the take-up of electric vehicles, it must ensure the public can reach reliable, convenient and accessible charging points.
