The Government has new powers to mandate electric vehicle (EV) charge points at motorway services after the Autonomous and Electric Vehicles Act passed through Parliament.
The legislation will also allow mayors to request installations at large fuel retailers in their areas.
Furthermore, it aims to improve consumer confidence in charging vehicles by: making sure that public charge points are compatible with all vehicles; standardising how they are paid for; and setting standards for reliability.
Roads minister Jesse Norman said: “The UK is becoming a world leader in the roll-out of low-emission transport. Today we have passed a significant milestone in that journey.
“The increasing automation of our cars is transforming the way we drive, and the government is steadily updating our laws in order to prepare for the future. This act will ensure that the UK’s infrastructure and insurance system is ready for the biggest transport revolution in a century.”
The act will also bring automated vehicle insurance in line with longstanding motor insurance practice, ensuring that motorists are covered both when they are driving, and when the driver has legitimately handed control to the vehicle.
The measures in the new act form part of the government’s recently launched Road to Zero strategy. The strategy sets the stage for the biggest technology advancement to hit UK roads since the invention of the combustion engine.
More articles on:
Gareth has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist having started his career in local newspapers in the 1990s. Prior to joining Fleet News in 2008, he worked in the public sector as a media advisor and is currently news editor at Fleet News.
Gordy - 20/07/2018 11:56
It is a step in the right direction that central government have grabbed the reins here. But fuel filling stations are not necessarily optimised for large scale and frequent EV charging due to their forecourt size (vs. charge times) and proximity to high-power sources. Far better to develop new charging infrastructure on brownfield sites or at least ensure the power supply (near the National Grid) is available and forecourt size would need to treble or more in order to provide a realistic revenue stream. Otherwise I feel forecourt closures would be accelerated. Time for oil companies to invest in superconductors! Or perhaps Starbucks or Costa to invest in EV stations. Toilets, refreshments, quiet parking and WiFi is all an EV driver could ask for in the 30-60 minutes wait.