Opinion: Why low cost, on-street charging is crucial to the future of EVs

By Paul Hollick, chair, Association of Fleet Professionals (AFP)

What’s the number one barrier to electric vehicle adoption? There are a number of possible answers – high purchase prices, unpredictable residual values, a general hostility among some members of the public and more.

However, across the AFP, a clear answer is starting to emerge – charging infrastructure and especially, charging infrastructure that provides reasonably priced power.

The current state-of-play regarding EVs is that electric company car sales remain strong and growing but retail car and van figures are comparatively weak. The question is how to change this situation, especially with the ZEV Mandate ramping up quickly over the rest of this decade?

In the short-medium term, the pricing situation is likely to take care of itself. EV prices are already falling as production ramps up and greater economies of scale become available.

For example, Dacia will soon bring a £16,000 electric car to market and there are even signs of a price war emerging that could see thousands taken off the price of existing models in all areas of the market. Also, used EVs are becoming ever cheaper, of course.

However, to convince van operators and retail car buyers that EVs are viable means not just more accessible pricing but a dramatic increase in visible charging structure.

Roughly half the population live in terraced housing or apartments and need to be able to see charging available on their street in order to be able to even think about buying an EV. Yet, despite the government starting to make what appear to be considerable sums available, this kind of charging remains rare.

As well as being visible, charging also needs to be affordable. The price of highway power is already starting to become a major topic among AFP members, with 80 pence per kWh not unknown on the motorway.

That’s simply too high when those with access to power at home or office might be paying a quarter of that or less. What is needed is general access to low-cost overnight charging.

If you’ll excuse the clunky metaphor, the national low-cost charging network is the horse that needs to arrive before the cart of widespread EV adoption can properly continue its journey.

What we have seen to date is rapid electric car adoption almost entirely by people who have the space for a driveway charger.

The next phase is dependent on the massive expansion of low-cost charging availability for people who don’t fit into that category, so that if you live in a terraced house or apartment, you can see exactly how a new or used electric car or van can be a practical part of your life.

It's a matter that is very much in the hands of politicians and at the AFP, we’re hopeful that whoever wins the forthcoming general election does as much as possible, as quickly as they can, to bring charging availability up to the level – and down to the cost - that is needed.