The revised Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 were made public by the government in an effort to create a more secure future for electric cars (EV’s) in the UK.
The new regulations, which were presented to Parliament on July 11th, plan to provide vehicles with access to highly effective and dependable public charging stations to improve the charging experience.
The following are the priorities of the new regulations:
- More transparent pricing, an easier payment method, and round-the-clock customer service for maximum peace of mind. Within the next two years, charge point operators (CPOs) must also have roaming agreements with other parties and be completely transparent about their pricing.
- Access to publicly available data that offers current charge point information, such as availability and reliability of the charging points. This will make trip planning simple and relieve drivers’ stress related to range anxiety.
- For a more seamless and hassle-free user experience, contactless payments must be made for any public charging points over 8kW (slow chargers and lamppost chargers are excluded).
A minimum dependability record of 99%. If EV CPOs don’t make sure their products are meeting expectations, they risk financial penalties.
The new public charging point laws will assist new drivers in feeling more confident when making the changeover to driving electric vehicles, the importance of which is growing as the 2030 ban on petrol and diesel vehicles moves closer.
Over the past ten years, more and more drivers have come to appreciate the financial and environmental advantages that EV’s provide. Over 267,000 new electric vehicles entered the UK market in 2022 alone and there are no signs that it will slow down despite the difficult economic environment.
Hwever, the increase in demand for EV’s has outpaced the availability of rapid public charging, which has led to sceptics to question if the transition from combustion engine to electric vehicles is happening too quickly. The latest government strategy demonstrates how both green technology and governmental rules are improving, but more is needed to convince the more sceptical diesel and petrol owner to cross over to electric.
