The new legislation will apply to buildings such as offices and supermarkets, and will also require large scale renovations, which will have at least ten parking spaces, to fit charging points.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We will require new homes and buildings to have EV charging points – with another 145,000 charging points to be installed thanks to these regulations. We are investing in new projects to turn wind power into hydrogen and our net zero strategy is expected to trigger about £90 billion of private sector investment, driving the creation of high wage high skilled jobs as part of our mission to unite and level up across the country.”
Connected Kerb says the investment will “revolutionise” access to EV charging for the tens of millions of drivers without off-street parking and support mass market charging for workplaces and fleets.
Equipmake and Beulas have teamed up with Go-Ahead to start trials of an electric double decker bus in London next year.
The EV infrastructure firm is also announcing new partnerships for 10,000 public on-street EV chargers across the UK in 2021 alone, the majority of which will be deployed across West Sussex and Kent
Dr Chris Pateman-Jones, chief executive officer of Connected Kerb, said: “Knowing you can arrive at virtually any location, at any time, in any vehicle and cheaply charge your battery without inconvenience or faff is the reality we have to deliver to create an EV society.”
Out of all the football teams in the Premier League, Chelsea leads the way in terms of the numbers of EV chargepoints, according to new report from Charge My Street.
New research from the Institute of the Motor Industry has found that 90,000 technicians will be needed to service the volume of zero-emissions vehicles predicted to be on UK roads by 2030.
There will be more plug-in vehicles registered this year than compared to the whole of the last decade combined, according to forecasts from Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
A total of 271,962 new battery electric (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) were registered between 2010 and 2019. However, the SMMT now expects Britain to break its plug-in records,
forecasting that businesses and consumers will take up around 287,000 of the latest zero-emission capable cars during 2021 alone – around one in six new cars.
More than a third of people are considering buying a used electric vehicle as a result of the fuel crisis, according to research from Volkswagen Financial Services UK.
Based on current forecasts, BEV registrations are also expected to exceed those of diesel by the end of 2022. The forecast also takes into account a generally poor year for new car registrations, some -30% below the average recorded over the past decade.
£1.9bn
190,000
More plug-in vehicles to be registered in 2021 than whole of last decade
The new policy makes the UK the first country in the world to require all new homes to have EV chargers, as the government targets an extra 145,000 charegpoints across the UK by 2030.
We take a look at some of the biggest stories and talking points from the landmark climate summit in Glasgow.
The UK government has unveiled the new electric vehicle chargepoint design, which it says could become as iconic as the Great British post box.
Major car manufacturers and governments, including the United States and China, have refused to sign a deal to end global car emissions by 2040.
All new heavy goods vehicles in the UK will be zero-emission by 2040, the UK government revealed at the COP26 summit in Glasgow.
The UK will become the first country in the world to commit to phasing out new, non-zero emission heavy goods vehicles weighing 26 tonnes and under by 2035, with all new HGVs sold in the UK to be zero emission by 2040.
British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) chief executive, Gerry Keaney, said: “This announcement is a welcome update and will support the industry in its drive towards decarbonisation.”
Showcased in the UK Pavilion at COP26 and designed together with the Royal College of Art and PA Consulting, the Department for Transport (DfT) says the concept “prioritises inclusivity and ease of use, designed with consumers, local government, accessibility groups and industry.”
UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “My vision is for the UK to have one of the best EV infrastructure networks in the world, with excellent British design at its heart.”
The deal sought a global collaboration between governments, businesses, and other organisations with an influence over the future of the automotive industry and road transport, to work towards all sales of new cars and vans being zero emission by 2040 or earlier, or by no later than 2035 in leading markets.
However, Volkswagen has said it will not sign the agreement without the support of Toyota, one of the world’s largest car manufacturers. As well as this, BMW also refused to sign up, saying: “There remains considerable uncertainty about the development of global infrastructure to support a complete shift to zero emission vehicles, with major disparities across markets.”
The deal has been backed by Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes Benz, Volvo Cars, and Ford, as well as Norway, Denmark and the Netherlands.
Building and selling electric cars isn’t the end point, it is the beginning. We will need at least as much attention on creating a clean supply chain and ultimately recycling. An electric car is a good start, and a pathway to true climate neutral mobility, but, clean means clean from start to finish.
UK confirms pledge for
Featuring a wide range of exhibitors from around the world, the London EV Show will bring together some of the most exciting and
innovative startups and businesses that are dedicated to revolutionisng the EV space. In addition to the exhibitions, the event will also
host a conference, with a comprehensive list of speakers that will discuss and dissect every aspect of the growing EV industry.
climate change. We aim to contribute towards this mission by virtue of a system that we call Sun to Wheel. The expression has been created out of the traditional Well to Wheel phraseology used to describe the process of extracting refining and distributing oil for the purposes of igniting internal combustion engines which is a tremendously inefficient and harmful process to the climate.
“Conversely, we own and operate battery solar hybrid farms that generate clean renewable energy from the sun. Those batteries are used to trade energy with the grid but also distribute renewable energy into our Electric Highway
charging infrastructure network. This in turn is supported by our Electric Vehicle leasing division. The net result of this proposition ensures that the emission-free vehicles of today are energised by virtue of a zero-carbon renewable energy supply chain, hence, Sun to Wheel.”
“Fleet electrification is now an essential part of a business proposition as more and more businesses are finding that their environmental credentials are being heavily scrutinised. As the cost of fuel continues to rise, the requirements for
“I think events like the London EV show are tremendously important because now is the time to provide the general public with as much knowledge and information around electric vehicles as possible in order for them to feel more comfortable during the transition away from the internal combustion engines. Events such as this allow people to really get under the skin of this new emerging technology and hopefully leave with a renewed enthusiasm to make the switch. The more we are able to encourage people to do so the more likely we shall be in achieving the global climate goals.”
“GRIDSERVE’s primary focus is to deliver sustainable energy and move the needle on
How important are events like the London EV Show for accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles?
businesses to demonstrate quantifiable carbon reductions and the total cost of ownership of electric vehicles improving daily, benefit in kind tax reductions, salary sacrifice opportunities and electric vehicle and charging grants to name a few benefits, I believe that there has never been a better time to take advantage and be proactive in the space prior to the banning of petrol and diesel vehicles in 2030.”
“I would say that continual improvement of public charging infrastructure now needs to be the primary focus in order to provide a viable solution for those 98% of vehicles and drivers not yet in a battery electric vehicle. GRIDSERVE has made phenomenal strides in supporting this but it will require a colossal collective industry effort to meet our overall climate targets.”
How do you think the overall EV landscape will change over the next two years?
“I have no doubt that we’ll see a continual increase in the uptake of battery electric vehicle registrations as well as a dramatic increase in the number of high-powered chargers on the public network. It feels like there are new models of EVs coming out every week with better range and faster charging but critically I think the price parity between electric vehicles and internal combustion engines will continually improve.”
Mike Strahlman Director of EV, JustPark
renewable tariffs (and exciting prices!) so fleet drivers who take their vehicles home can also benefit from an off-street charging experience.”
Catherine Marris Head of Innovation, Motability
“Community charging supports the transition to EVs by democratising off-street parking and charging. For people without access to home charging, driving an EV seems like a major cost and challenge in depending on public charging networks - which doesn’t always work for all charging use cases. Community charging therefore unlocks the ability for drivers without driveways to experience a ‘proxy driveway’, taking advantage of the costs and benefits of offstreet parking and charging.”
“It’s an exciting time in the market. Tons of technological development; many solutions being tested, proven and deployed; and an exciting array of vehicle options being introduced at all price points. With so much innovation, and the associated fragmented solution landscape, what I am most excited about is the players and solutions which converge, bringing solutions together and simplifying the EV ecosystem for the community of drivers.”
“Our research with Designability, the humancentred design charity, demonstrates that there are a number of accessibility challenges with the existing public EV charging infrastructure. The scale of the problem is also potentially immense – 1 in 5 people in the UK are disabled, and our work with Ricardo, an engineering and environmental consultancy, highlights that there are expected to be 2.7 million disabled drivers or passengers in the UK by 2035. The transition to EVs will only take place if everyone feels like they can take part, and so it’s important no one is left behind. Because of this, we are working with the Office of Zero Emissions Vehicles to sponsor national accessible charging standards through the British Standards Institution, defining what ‘accessible’ means and looks like and setting a minimum level of accessibility across all charge points in the UK.”
“JustPark hopes to fit right into that space of convergence. Through our platform, we hope to promote the use of community charging to support the uptake of EVs and the use-case of overnight charging - democratising off-street charging (and parking!) for EV drivers. Through our platform, EV drivers can park, charge and pay all through one app and experience, the benefits of off-street charging. With this same platform, our FleetCharge solution provides guaranteed overnight charging, close to home, at 100%
“We’ve had some really positive conversations with different key players in industry about how they can make the transition to EVs more accessible for disabled drivers, passengers and pedestrians. We believe there is a growing understanding among industry of both the commercial and social cases of an inclusive transition. At Motability, we are working closely with industry to set national accessible charging standards – the first of their kind in the worldthat feels both achievable for companies and is an improvement for the consumer experience of disabled people.”
How do you expect the EV landscape to develop over the next couple of years?
Talk to us about JustPark’s commitment to accelerating the transition electric vehicles?
What needs to be done to make electric vehicles more accessible?
There’s a new player in the electric SUV market, and it’s going to take some beating. Here’s Charlie Atkinson’s review of the Audi Q4 e-tron.
Audi’s latest step in its plan to offer 20 fully electric vehicles by 2025 comes in the form of the Audi Q4 e-tron; an electric SUV with a decent range that is cheaper than some of the premium alternatives.
It is pricier than some of its direct competitors, however, namely the Volkswagen ID.4 and the Skoda Enyaq, so does it do enough to warrant paying that little bit more?
The comparisons to the ID.4 and the Enyaq begin from the outside. The Audi Q4 e-tron has a similar shape and size to the other two models, but the overall design is much more interesting, with the typical Audi creases making the whole aesthetic of the car look very sharp and angular, compared to the relatively bland roundness of the ID.4. It also has a few interesting features, such as the matrix LED headlights and the grille design, which has had some mixed reviews but, in my mind, I think it works well and makes this electric vehicle stand out from the other conventional EVs available.
On the Sportback version, there is a slightly improved rear end design, but all models feature
the continuous light strip and the embossed e-tron sign at the bottom.
There are a couple of strange bits, such as the fake air vents seemingly glued to the front end, but overall, it’s a really cool design and is further proof that Audi does not make bad looking cars.
Inside, it’s exactly what you’d expect from an Audi. It’s very dark and stripped back, but I actually quite like the simple, minimalist approach they’ve taken.
There are a couple of things that spice it up, however, like the hexagonal steering wheel and light bar on the dash which changes colour depending on which driving mode you have selected.
For a car that is quite pricey, there are lots of nice, expensive-feeling materials all around, so you don’t feel as though you’ve been ripped off with lots of cheap, scratchy plastics all over the place.
The seats are tremendously comfortable as well, and there’s plenty of headroom and legroom in the back.
The boot is also massive, with a capacity of 520L which is well up there with some of the most practical EVs on the market.
The 10.1” touchscreen also works well and is compatible with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. It’s not as big as some of the other infotainment screens out there, but it is a decent size and is easy to navigate and use whilst driving.
Less practical, however, are the buttons on the steering wheel which are both physical buttons and also touch sensitive. They are easily activated, and accidentally calling someone when you’re trying to turn the volume of your music down is an all-too-common occurrence.
Thankfully, that’s only a minor inconvenience, and the overall quality of the interior of this car does shine through and being behind the wheel of the Audi Q4 e-tron is a comfortable and enjoyable experience.
Scan this code to watch our video review!
For an electric car, the Audi Q4 e-tron is not as nippy as you’d expect, with a top speed of 99mph and a 0-60mph time in around six seconds. It still gives you the initial punch that you want and expect when behind the wheel of an EV, but, considering this is an SUV, the priority is not speed.
In the best possible way, the Audi Q4 e-tron is nice, simple and comfortable car. As I’ve already mentioned, there is luxury on the inside and it’s a similar experience when driving, too.
Due to its weight, as a result of the massive battery, and its overall size, the car handles beautifully and really sticks to the road, even when you accelerate into a corner and go weaving up winding country roads. No matter where you’re driving, whether it’s chugging along the motorway, nipping about in town or out in the sticks, you feel comfortable and relaxed all the time.
And it’s a good job that this car is comfortable because you can get through a fair few miles off a single charge. With a WLTP range of 316 miles, which, in real world is closer to 280 miles, the Audi Q4 e-tron has one of the best ranges for a car of this size and class.
You should be able to get the most out of that charge thanks to the different driving modes, too.
You can choose from ‘efficiency’ which is Audi’s eco-mode equivalent, ‘comfort’ and the sporty ‘dynamic’ mode.
There is minimal difference in terms of performance between these three modes (apart from the colour of the light bar on the dash) so for the most part, I left it in efficiency mode so I could really maximise my range and get the most out of my charge.
I think it’s clear to see that Audi has done things right when it comes to their latest EV, and it’s a really positive step for a brand that is going to be launching a lot of electric vehicles over the next few years.
It’s more of the same with the regenerative braking, too. The severity of the regen-braking can be adjusted via the flappy paddles on the steering wheel, but even on its strongest setting, it isn’t enough to grind you to a complete stop, which means you won’t be able to get away with the one pedal driving that electric vehicle drivers are used to.
The Audi Q4 e-tron is, overall, a really nice car to drive. There are a few things which could be improved, such as the regen braking and the performance of the different driving modes, but on the whole, I really enjoy being behind the wheel of this car and it is up there with one of the most enjoyable EVs to drive.
It is pricey, with entry level models for this car starting from just over £40,000, meaning it doesn’t apply for any government grants, and these Sportback variants begin from £42,500.
But in our mind, the Audi Q4 e-tron does justify its price. From the way it looks, to how comfortable it is to drive, its practicality and its really good range, the Q4 e-tron is not just one of the best electric SUVs on the market, but in our mind, it’s one of the best EVs full stop.
I think it’s clear to see that Audi has done things right when it comes to their latest EV... ” “
The show, which initially launched in 2002, has run for 28 series but has now switched to showcase the ever-growing electric vehicle industry.
It will be presented by fan-favourites Jason Plato
and Vicki Butler-Henderson, along with Rory Reid, ex-Top Gear presenter, and former Formula 1 and Formula E driver Karun Chandhok. They will be assisted by EV consumer journalist Grace Webb and engineering ace Jimmy de Ville.
Highlights of the series include Jason Plato getting behind the wheel of Ferrari’s fastest and most powerful road car ever, the hybrid SF90, as well as Karun Chandhok flying to Spain to tackle the world’s first EV hot hatch – the Cupra Born.
Jason Plato “Throughout the series, from being a bit of a dinosaur, I have actually started to enjoy these electric cars. It’s great that the viewer will see us going on a journey and see our opinions change a little bit. It’s a totally different driving experience; it’s quiet, it’s relaxing and there’s lots of tech which all makes things easy. Once you get over the lack of noise and things like that, behind the wheel of an EV is a really good place to be.”
The EV you can’t wait to drive? “All of them.”
Best EV you’ve driven? “Porsche Taycan.”
Ideal roadtrip destination? “The Jesmond Dene Bank in Newcastle.” Your perfect roadtrip companion? “Mrs Butler-Henderson.”
Music, podcast or radio? “Radio.”
Grace Webb “It’s a really exciting time. We’re learning so much and manufacturers are bringing out more electric cars and new designs, so it’s definitely time that we put a focus on that because it’s the way the world is going. We’re going to new modes of transport, fuel and tech, so we need to talk about it and get rid of that concern.”
Grace’s Quickfire Questions:
The EV you can’t wait to drive? “The Tesla Cybertruck.”
Best EV you’ve driven? “Audi e-tron GT.”
Ideal roadtrip destination?
“North Atlantic Highway in Norway.”
Your perfect roadtrip companion?
“You’ve just got to take your mates!” Music, podcast or radio? “American roadtrip music, a bit of Chuck Berry!”
Vicki Butler-Henderson “My highlight of the series was going around the North Coast 500 in Scotland with Rory in the Hyundai Ioniq 5. That was an insight into how it’s not just about how fast it can go in a straight line, but the interior, the design, everything about it. We also did a few days in Norway looking at the infrastructure over there and how they’ve got it so right, as well as driving some other cars like the Tesla Model Y and a new EV from NIO. We are reflecting on TV what the world is going through.”
The EV you can’t wait to drive? “I’d like to try some electric motorbikes.” Best EV you’ve driven? “NIO ES8.”
Ideal roadtrip destination? “North Coast 500.”
Your perfect roadtrip companion? “Mark Webber.” Music, podcast or radio? “Audiobook.”
“I’ve always said that electric cars are going to become really good and I feel like we’re pretty much there at the moment, and with this series, I feel happy seeming the world slowly evolve and I’m excited about the next generation of cars. I’m excited for the future.”
Rory’s Quickfire Questions:
The EV you can’t wait to drive? “The Tesla Cybertruck.”
Best EV you’ve driven? “Hyundai Ioniq 5.”
Ideal roadtrip destination? “Also the North Coast 500.”
Your perfect roadtrip companion? “Christina Aguilera.” Music, podcast or radio? “I listen to YouTube videos.”
If we are going to tackle air pollution and cut the capital’s carbon emissions, the Mayor of London needs to treat motorists as part of the solution, not the problem.
That means helping Londoners to ditch their older, polluting cars and switch to electric vehicles. For all of Sadiq Khan’s triumphalism, the expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will not kickstart the electric vehicle revolution London needs.
ULEZ is a deeply regressive tax that hits those who can least afford the charge the hardest. For some Londoners, the expansion of the daily £12.50 charge will have been the catalyst for their decision to buy a cleaner vehicle. Some will no doubt grin and bear it after calculating that they can afford to take the hit. But many others will be trapped with a driving bill they can’t afford with no way to switch vehicles.
While Transport for London provided £61 million in scrappage schemes ahead of ULEZ expansion, this support was woefully inadequate. The two schemes that offered scrappage grants for vans and heavy vehicles were closed in the middle of the pandemic due to a lack of funds. This left small businesses and sole traders with no help as the ULEZ expanded despite 38,000 non-compliant vans and lorries driving in the zone each day.
The remaining scheme to help low-income and disabled Londoners scrap cars and motorcycles
only paid out to a third of applicants. Of the nearly 20,000 people asking for help, less than 6,900 received a scrappage grant. Worryingly there are only funds to help 1,000 more drivers meaning thousands of Londoners will be left with no support to scrap their cars. Worse still, this scrappage scheme is also far too narrow. It only offers grants to people on certain benefits, making thousands of working families who can’t afford the charge or a new vehicle ineligible.
That’s why my Conservative colleagues and I called on the Mayor to invest £50 million from City Hall’s business rate reserve into scrappage schemes. That’s enough to reopen the suspended schemes for vans and heavy vehicles and offer grants to Londoners who earn less than £30,000 - as Birmingham City Council does. This sizeable investment would scrap thousands of noncompliant cars, clean up London’s air, and help struggling Londoners avoid the charge.
coronavirus restrictions ended. With no time to recover from the pandemic, let alone prepare for the charge, many cannot afford a new electric car over a cheaper second-hand petrol or diesel vehicle. And the few that are considering the switch face a year-long wait due to a global shortage in semiconductors.
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London as a whole may be ahead of the country with a third of charging points, but it is miles behind where it needs to be. ”
Sadly, the Mayor has so far ignored our plea for greater investment in scrappage schemes. Without additional scrappage scheme investment, Khan is missing an opportunity to help Londoners buy electric vehicles. ULEZ expansion only encourages Londoners to ditch older vehicles for newer petrol and diesel options. Had the Mayor listened to our calls to delay his plan to expand the charge up to the North and South Circulars until next year, more Londoners may have been enticed by electric vehicles. Especially if the Mayor offered scrappage schemes that encouraged people and businesses to ditch fossil fuels.
Instead, the Mayor rushed through ULEZ expansion with City Hall offering little or no help to switch vehicles only three months after
But the big reason why ULEZ will not deliver an electric vehicle revolution is simple: the Mayor has failed to invest in electric infrastructure alongside the expansion. It took Transport for London three years to install 300 rapid charging points. Now estimates show 4000 will be needed by 2030 when the UK will ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars. While some boroughs like the City of Westminster, which has installed 1,095 charging points, are ploughing ahead, City Hall is falling behind. London as a whole may be ahead of the country with a third of charging points, but it is miles behind where it needs to be.
At COP26 in Glasgow, Sadiq Khan rested on his ULEZ laurels after being proclaimed “king” by other city Mayors. No Londoner wants to watch their Mayor take an international victory lap when our city is so ill-equipped for the next generation of vehicles. What Londoners want to hear is the Mayor’s plan to make the capital the first electric global city. ULEZ will not deliver it. It may clean up our air, but only on the backs of the poorest in London. And it won’t help people ditch fossil fuels. It’s time for the Mayor to develop a plan to use ULEZ revenue to deliver an electric vehicle revolution - for everyone, not just those who can afford it.
He said: “If you can shape and style a car, and design it in a way that is bang up to date in terms of design and style and feature, it takes away a lot of these reasons for not buying. I think we have to persuade people that electric cars are extremely cool things anyway, and I think it’s quite important that they represent themselves and they show themselves as being something that’s part of this century and certainly this decade, so that aspect of it I think is quite important. That’s happening, that’s coming.
“I think Porsche is doing a really good job,” Callum said. “When the Taycan came out as a concept, I knew it wasn’t going to be feasible as it was, there just wasn’t enough space in the car to put everything it needed, especially with a skateboard platform. But I think what they’ve done is extremely good. I think the Audi’s are quite exciting; I’ve always admired their design and their sense of excitement, so I think the electric Audi’s are looking quite good.
Whilst he is responsible for the design of some of the most classic car models, Callum has also been an important figure in the electric vehicle era, particularly for leading the design of Jaguar’s very first electric car, the I-Pace.
In this episode of the Everything EV Podcast, Callum joined host Charlie Atkinson to discuss the electric vehicle industry in general, some of his favourite EV models and why it is important for electric vehicles to be ‘cool’.
“If anyone is sceptical about it, you’ll find it’s because of one of two reasons. One is because the infrastructure doesn’t suit them which is going to be the case for many, many people for a long time, or they love the sound of a V8. Well, have the V8 as well, keep it in the garage somewhere, play with it at some point. They’re just sceptical of the whole notion of electric vehicles because of the inheritance in history but people get over that. They are cool things and great fun.”
But which electric vehicles available today does Callum consider to be cool? At the end of the episode, Atkinson asked Callum to pick out a few models from the electric vehicles of today, to see which ones had the ‘Ian Callum stamp of approval’.
“Some of the other ones are still a bit conventional; I think they could be a bit more exciting. I think the Mercedes is perhaps a little bit conventional looking, and perhaps the e-tron is a bit conventional looking as well, having mentioned Audi, but I think the Sport version is very good.”
Having worked for some of the most distinguished motor companies and on some of the most prestigious car models in history, Ian Callum has been at the very heart of the motor industry for over four decades.
I think we have to persuade people that electric cars are extremely cool things. ”
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