Major change to EV laws this WEEK will impact millions of drivers – know the rules
A MAJOR change to EV laws is set to impact millions of drivers this week.
New guidelines introduced as part of the Government’s Plan for Drivers could make it easier than ever to own an electric car.
The regulations will require greater transparency on prices, allowing motorists to shop around for the best deals on charging.
Likewise, operators will be ordered to make more data publically available so road users can find available stations and check charging speeds, as well as which charging points are out of order.
There will also be a free, 24-hour helpline for anyone who experiences an issue filling up their battery.
In conjunction with the updated laws, the Government is looking to further expand the existing charging network.
A £318 million infrastructure fund is still accepting applications and is expected to result in the installation of tens of thousands more charging points over the next few years.
The state of the UK’s current network has been a source of complaints from EV owners.
One driver slammed a vast charging hub in Birmingham, the UK’s largest, as a nightmare to find.
And data from the Department for Transport revealed in August that a majority of UK councils have no publically available roadside chargers at all within their authority area.
However, the law changes combined with better investment in EV infrastructure could well see this remedied, proponents claim.
James Court, CEO of the Electric Vehicle Association England, told The Express: “Better reliability, clearer pricing, easier payments, plus the potentially game-changing opportunities of open data are all a major step forward for EV drivers and should make the UK one of the best places to charge in the world.
“As the rollout of charging infrastructure gathers momentum, these regulations will ensure quality and help put consumers needs at the heart of this transition”
And Jesse Norman, the Technology and Decarbonisation Minister, added that the changes would help the UK meet its net zero commitments.
He said: “Over time, these new regulations will improve EV charging for millions of drivers, helping them find the chargepoints they want, providing price transparency so that they can compare the cost of different charging options, and updating payment methods.
“They will make the switch to electric easier than ever for drivers, support the economy and help the UK reach its 2035 goals.”
It comes after one couple drove their EV 950 miles to Italy only to find themselves struggling with range anxiety.
Meanwhile, visitors to a popular holiday hotspot were warned about a major parking ticket scandal.