The UK plans to increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations to 300,000 by 2030. That would increase the current number of charge points in the country by tenfold. The government has committed £1.6 billion ($2.1 billion) to the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy.
The effort to upgrade the charging network includes a focus on fast-charging stations for longer journeys and making EVs more viable for people without access to off-street parking. A previously announced Rapid Charging Fund has put £950 million ($1.25 billion) toward establishing a network of more than 6,000 fast-charging stations along England’s motorways by 2035. Under the strategy, £500 million ($658 million) has been earmarked for setting up charging stations in communities, including on-street locations.
New rules will mean that EV drivers can use contactless payments for charging, compare pricing and use apps to find stations. The UK will ban the sale of new fossil fuel-powered vehicles by 2030, so a more expansive charging network will be vital to ease the transition to EVs.
Along with the environmental benefits of EVs, the government touted the plan as a way to create jobs and reduce the UK’s dependency on foreign sources of energy and oil. As is the case elsewhere, prices of gas and home energy have increased dramatically in the UK since Russia invaded Ukraine last month. Access to Russian oil and energy suppliers has been nixed in the wake of sanctions against the country.