Chargepoint rollout not keeping pace with EV growth, warns SMMT

Electric vehicle charge point network InstaVolt has announced it will be undertaking an extensive upgrade programme to over 200 of its existing ChargePoint CPE250 chargers across the network.

The 50kW chargers will be upgraded, making each charger capable of outputting up to 125kW, significantly reducing charging times.

The upgrades aim to be finalised by the end of March 2023. Customers will be able to track progress of the upgrades via InstaVolt’s social media channels, and the newly upgraded chargers can be identified using InstaVolt’s charger map, the InstaVolt app or on digital EV platforms such as Zap-Map.

Adrian Keen, CEO of InstaVolt says: “With this round of upgrades, drivers will experience faster rates of charging on our popular CPE250 chargers, subject to their car being able to accept greater than 50kW. This will reduce charging times and allow drivers to get back on the road sooner.

“The majority of EVs on the road will benefit from this upgrade. With most of our CPE250s located next to convenience retail, and roadside food and drinks outlets including operators such as Costa Coffee and McDonald’s, this is another example of InstaVolt perfectly matching charging speeds to dwell time and providing an even better experience for its drivers.”

“The upgrades also benefit our fleet customers and is another great step to support the electrification of future fleets, reducing charging times and getting drivers back on the road quickly”.

According to the latest SMMT figures, electric vehicles continued their growth in January, but the organisation is warning that chargepoint rollout is failing to keep pace with demand.

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) comprised 14.4 per cent of new car registrations, increasing volumes by 40.6 per cent. Meanwhile, battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations rose 19.8 per cent to reach 17,294 units, or 13.1 per cent of new registrations – slightly below the average recorded for 2022. Plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) recorded a 0.7 per cent rise, although their share fell to 6.9 per cent of new cars reaching the road. As a result, one in five new cars registered in the month came with a plug.

During Q4 2022, the ratio of new chargepoint installations to new plug-in car registrations dropped to one for every 62 –a significant fall compared with the same quarter last year, when the ratio was 1:42. As a result, in 2022, one standard public charger was installed for every 53 new plug-in cars registered, the weakest ratio since 2020. The SMMT says that mandating rollout targets for infrastructure and regulating service standards would give drivers certainty they can always find a working, available charger. Infrastructure must be built ahead of demand or else poor provision risks delaying the electric transition. The organisation also says that the upcoming Budget should be an opportunity to implement measures that support the transition. Reducing VAT on public chargepoint use from 20 per cent to five per cent in line with home charging would ensure more affordable access for all and underpin a fair net zero transition.

Government should also review proposals to graft a Vehicle Excise Duty regime designed for fossil fuel cars onto zero emission vehicles (ZEVs). The higher production costs associated with electric vehicles means that currently more than half of all available BEVs would be subject to the expensive car supplement due to apply to ZEVs from 2025. While it is right that all drivers pay their fair share, existing plans would unfairly penalise those making the switch, and risk disincentivising the market at the time when EV uptake should be encouraged. Government should also tackle other fiscal blocks to uptake by raising recommended business mileage rates.

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