New laws to improve electric vehicle charging approved by MPs
The government has declared that new laws requiring municipalities to develop local plans for charging electric vehicles (EVs) will be introduced.
Ministers stated that the action will guarantee that every region of the nation has a plan for EV charging infrastructure when they released their answer to the Future of Transport Zero Emission Vehicles survey.
The Department for Transport (DfT) said that in response to the consultation, local transport plans will be revised to mandate that local transport authorities create EV charging policies and guarantee the availability of charging stations.
In addition, it will keep an eye on and assess the installation of charging infrastructure in already-existing non-residential parking lots, examining its authority should the market’s pace be judged inadequate.
Nonetheless, it stated that any authority requested would serve as a safety net to offer assurance and permit particular rules in the future, if needed.
If powers are sought, the DfT says it will take into consideration holding additional consultations centred around lease interactions.
The locations that have competition and open access charging will be supported by the Rapid Charging Fund (RCF), in the meanwhile.
Under the Automated Electric Vehicle Act (2018), the government says it may create secondary law to require the installation of charging stations in strategically significant locations.
The consultation answer has been approved by MPs at the same time that the DfT announced new regulations designed to provide EV drivers with more dependable charging stations, easier-to-compare price information, and simpler payment options.
The DfT hopes that by requiring charge point operators to make their data publicly available, drivers would find it simpler to discover charge points, assess their charging speeds, and ascertain whether they are operational and accessible via in-car software, internet mapping, and third-party apps.