Electric vehicles (EVs) cannot be recharged on large swathes of British motorways due to a slow and unequal rollout of charging points, ministers have been warned.
Only a third of the 114 areas identified by the Department for Transport (DfT) have met the aim of having six ultra-rapid charge points. MPs on the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) suggest this could undermine driver confidence that they will have a charging point when they most need it.
They also highlighted a ‘clear geographical divide’ and warned of rural and disabled drivers being left behind in the Government’s attempted EV revolution.
While the Government is on track to reach 300,000 public charging point installations by 2030, almost half of the 73,000 already installed are situated in London and the South East.
The PAC report also highlights delays in the programme designed to support local authorities in England to install charge points where they are most needed, with just ten of 78 installation projects approved for delivery.
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, Chair of the Committee, said: ‘This roll-out is not currently taking place equally across the nation.
‘Delivering thousands of points allowing Londoners to easily zip around the capital while leaving the rest of the UK’s network patchy is obviously an outcome to be avoided.
Electric vehicles (EVs) cannot be recharged on large swathes of British motorways due to a slow and unequal rollout of charging points (file image)
Only a third of the 114 areas identified by the Department for Transport (DfT) have met the aim of having six ultra-rapid charge points (file image)
Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP (pictured), Chair of the Committee, said: ‘This roll-out is not currently taking place equally across the nation’
‘Drivers need confidence that they can use an EV without any risk of getting stranded, or they won’t make the switch. It is imperative that the motorway network has a complete range of charging points as soon as possible to provide some confidence to drivers who wish to travel about the entire country.
‘The Government must move at pace to overcome current delays and encourage take-up while taking the time to ensure no one gets left behind in this all-important shift to the future.’
The PAC said ministers must ensure charging points are more evenly distributed across UK regions, support local authorities in identifying where chargers are needed, and ensure ultra-rapid points are available at more motorway service areas.
A DfT spokesman said: ‘We’re rolling out our chargepoint network at lightning pace, and there are now more than 74,000 public chargers are in place across the UK – with a new one added to the network every 28 minutes.
‘We’ve seen a 53 per cent boost in the number of chargers within a mile of the Strategic Road Network, and a 45 per cent rise in chargepoints across rural areas in 2024, helping ensure drivers are always close to a socket, no matter where they are.’
