A new body representing 20 major electric vehicle (EV) charging firms has said it aims to double the size of the UK’s charging network by the end of 2023.
ChargeUK, whose members include the VW-backed Ionity and the EV charging arms of Shell and BP, announced it will invest over £6bn installing and operating new EV charging infrastructure by 2030.
This will amount to the installation of tens of thousands of new chargers this year, with the aim of doubling the size of the network through 2023.
There are currently fewer than 39,000 public charge points in the whole of the UK. A study from 2021 found that the installation of chargers needs to increase by five times the current rate if the plan to phase out petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 is to be achieved.
ChargeUK said it wanted to work “collaboratively” with the government to shape the policies and regulation needed to enable a faster transition to EVs.
Ian Johnston, ChargeUK Chair, said: “The formation of ChargeUK is an exciting day and is a demonstration of the electric vehicle charging industry’s growing size and importance to the UK economy.
“Together we are investing billions of pounds to get more charge points in the ground right across the country. These numbers reinforce our commitment to the UK’s net-zero future.
“We will continue to be a proactive partner to government as we deliver a world-class charging infrastructure, giving the nation’s drivers confidence to transition to electric vehicles.”
Transport decarbonisation and technology minister Jesse Norman said: “The launch of ChargeUK shows how industry working together, alongside the government, can release private investment, improve delivery, raise standards and promote the use of electric vehicle charging infrastructure for drivers across the country.
“Our commitment to decarbonising transport, backed by hundreds of millions in funding, has helped to unlock private sector investment, and the ambitious plans of ChargeUK’s members will support more people than ever make the transition to EVs.”
Last month, Surrey County Council announced the largest deployment so far by a UK local authority, with plans to install around 10,000 chargers by 2030.
However, EV owners in the UK have been forced to contend with a 42 per cent hike in the cost of using public rapid chargepoints, after the price of energy soared following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
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