The head of the Petrol Retailers Association is recommending the government “work in tandem with industry” to speed up the roll-out of EV chargepoints at forecourts.
Ministers are currently engaged in a review of the ZEV (zero-emission vehicle) mandate, which dictates how many such cars manufacturers must sell each year in the lead up to new petrol and diesel vehicles being phased out over 2030-35.
The PRA says a “consistent theme” amongst drivers is poor charging infrastructure, and recommends ministers take a “more holistic approach across government departments” when tackling “some of the challenges forecourt operators are facing” when they look into installing sockets at their sites.
Executive director Gordon Balmer highlights the Rural and Island Infrastructure Fund, a £4.5m Scottish project designed to facilitate chargepoint installations in remote areas, and suggests comparable schemes could be deployed in the rest of the UK.
September saw a massive increase in EV registrations across the country, climbing 36.3% compared to the same month last year, with pure battery vehicles making up 28.3% of the market.
That is still below the 33% ZEV mandate demanded by Whitehall for 2026, however, while industry insiders warn many of last month’s registrations comprised dealers pre-registering cars to hit targets, rather than the vehicles actually finding customers.
