The United Kingdom is taking a big step towards its target of becoming a net zero greenhouse gas emissions country by 2050 when Transport Minister Rachel Maclean revealed that her government is planning to introduce a new law that will require mandatory installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging points in all new-build properties in England.
Specifically, all new homes and offices will have to feature ‘smart’ charging devices that can automatically charge vehicles during off-peak periods. New office blocks will need to install a charge point for every five parking spaces.
The new law will make England the first country in the world to require all new homes to have EV chargers, a report in Electrek said.
The proposal is part of the movement to rapidly boost the number of chargers across England ahead of the UK’s 2030 ban of new fossil-fuel vehicles.
The UK is banning sales of petrol and diesel cars from 2030 and the Daily Mail reported that Boris Johnson’s government wants to drastically increase the rate at which charge points are being built, after the minister admitted only around 500 plug-in points are being installed every month, almost 200 less than what is required.
The government has also issued grants to private households of up to GBP350 in an effort to install a further 200,000 charging devices.
At the House of Commons, Maclean said: “We will publish our consultation response on requiring all new residential and non-residential buildings to have a charge point and we intend to lay legislation later this year.
“We also confirmed our intention to mandate that home and workplace electric vehicle chargers must be capable of smart charging.”
Earlier this year, the Competition and Market Authority had said that ‘range anxiety’ – drivers’ fears that they don’t have sufficient charge on their EV to get them to their destination – is a major obstacle for widescale EV adoption.
Increasing the amount of chargers on the roads and outside properties is therefore crucial for the government to reach its net zero target.
