To further incentive the use of electric vehicles (EVs) to the public, the UK Government have put aside a £50 million financial boost to increase the number of access points for EVs to charge. This boost will be provided to small businesses as well as leaseholders and residents within rented accommodations to improve the EV experience.

This new scheme will support the EV transition, which will be made to become a net-zero country, by making it simpler, reliable and accessible for the public to use. With more access points available throughout the UK the fears surrounding the travel rage of EVs will no longer be a problem for planning journeys and making the decision to transition to electric.

Supports for EVs are already in place such as the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) which provides £350 towards home charge points, however; this new £50 million support will expand to wider audiences next year by including residents of rented or leasehold accommodations. Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) will also get this support through the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) as their employees make a return to work post lockdown.

Throughout the UK’s transition to net-zero targets, we will see more EV charge point being installed around the country until it is as common to see a charge point as it is to see a petrol station. Businesses such as hotels and B&Bs will be a part of the SME support, providing EV users with more opportunity to take long journeys without having to worry about where they stop to charge.

As well as installing new charge points across the UK, the Government fund will be responsible for making the use of charge points more reliable and simple for users. To achieve this there will be changes to the way customers pay for the electricity by making contactless payment an option rather than having to download an app. Once the infrastructure is in place, there will also be a responsibility for suppliers to provide a 24/7 help service for ease of use of their charge point.

The experience of charging an EV should be as simple as or simpler than the refuelling of a car and this potential could be unlocked with these huge boosts to improve EV infrastructure around the UK. There is also a great opportunity for competition as there are proposals of making the pricing information available to drivers which will ensure fair pricing and an incentive to switch.

Rachel Maclean, Transport Minister, said:

“As the UK accelerates towards net-zero emissions by 2050, we are determined to deliver a world-leading electric vehicle charging network, as we build back greener and support economic growth across the country.”

And Mike Cherry, Federation of Small Businesses National Chair, said:

“It’s great to see the Department for Transport putting businesses front and centre as part of the UK’s mission to achieve net-zero by 2050.

Small businesses want to play a critical role in helping the UK reach its green targets, and electric vehicles are the future. That’s why this is important news for the nation, particularly rural areas which are often left behind.”