UK needs 10 times more EV charging points to get rid of ICE vehicles by 2030

United Kingdom has set itself an ambitious target of getting rid of petrol and diesel cars from its roads by the end of the decade. The country wants to replace ICE vehicles with only electric cars by 2030 as part of its Green Plan. However, to make it happen, UK will need at least 10 times more EV charging points across the country to be able to sustain its EV plans, according to Britain’s competition regulator Competition and Markets Authority (CMA).

UK’s Green Plan includes phasing out sales of diesel and petrol cars by 2030, excluding hybrid vehicles, which will have a cut-off date of 2035. The British government also aims to have net zero emissions by 2050. The UK government’s fleet of ministerial vehicles is also likely to switch to electric from 2027.

To meet the challenge of getting rid of cars running on fossil fuel, it important to amp up the infrastructure to support electric vehicles, both in the passenger car segment as well as public transport. The regulator has come out with its study on the EV infrastructure in UK that suggests rapid amplification of EV charging network.

The regulator said some parts of UK have been facing problems regarding accessibility and reliability of such network despite the growing EV charging infrastructure in the country. UK currently has around 25,000 electric vehicle charge-points.

"Electric vehicles play a critical role in meeting Net Zero but the challenges with creating an entirely new charging network should not be underestimated," said Andrea Coscelli, the head of the CMA. "Some areas of the roll-out are going well ... but it's clear that other parts, like charging at motorway service stations and on-street, have much bigger hurdles to overcome," Coscelli added.

The regulator said the choices of charge-points at motorway service stations, where competition is limited, remains a matter of concern. According to the CMA, the government should look into arrangements lasting more than 10 years between Electric Highway and operators to ensure EV owners are not inconvenienced. Electric Highway makes up 80 per cent of all EV charging points at motorway service stations in UK, excluding Tesla charge-points.