There has been some welcome news that has come out from the government this week with regard to Rapid Public EV chargers in the UK. New regulations set out by Department for Transport will ensure improved reliability of units and a better user experience for EV drivers.
Unfortunately, there are too many occasions when EV drivers have encountered a faulty charge point when needing to charge their vehicle. Others get frustrated with the number of apps that are needed to use all the different brands of charge point out there.
This will all soon change! The Public Charge Point Regulations 2023 has provided manufacturers with a list of stipulations to ensure their units are reliable and accessible to all. At this moment in time there isn’t a start date for when these regulations come into force, but when they do, charge point manufacturers have 12 months to ensure their units comply. Below is a list of the requirements within the new regulations:
Charge points will on average have to be reliable for 99% of the time during each calendar year.
Providers will have to publish information about their reliability.
One app will be used to pay for public charge points that are run by different companies.
All chargers that deliver above 8kW of power will have to have a contactless payment feature. This will speed up the charge and make the units more user-friendly.
Charge point operators will be required to display the cost in pence per kilowatt hour before a charge has begun so drivers can compare the costs of different networks.
To ensure charge point operators meet the reliability targets, fines will be in place for companies that don’t ensure a 99% reliability rate. These fines will start at £10,000 and could rise to as high as £250,000.
There are also plans for a manned helpline, staffed 24/7 to assist EV drivers who are having difficulties with a device.
These new regulations will hopefully make public EV charging an enjoyable experience. Despite many operators providing some excellent charging facilities with user-friendly apps and on-screen instructions, there is still work to be done as more and more EVs take to our roads.
Chargepoint availability and ease of use are two of the biggest factors that concern EV drivers using the public network. With these regulations in place, ensuring reliability and a contactless payment system will ensure these fears are quashed, making the transition to electric vehicles easier for UK motorists.