Recommendation 11

HM Government · verbatim extract Accepted in Part

The Government partially accepts these recommendations. We agree that the public charging network needs to include both a reliable network of high powered chargepoints along major roads, and well-maintained local charging provision. To ensure the private sector can continue to expand the charging network at pace in the 2020s, the Government will invest £950 million in future proofing grid capacity along the Strategic Road Network and major A roads to prepare for 100% uptake of zero emission cars and vans ahead of need through the Rapid Charging Fund. This will be focused on sites where upgrading to this level of future-proofed infrastructure would be uncommercial. The Government has already engaged closely with industry on the plans for this fund and will continue to do so as the fund’s design and implementation is finalised. Details of the fund will be announced separately to the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, though the Strategy will refer to the important role of en-route charging for ZEV drivers, particularly for combatting consumer range anxiety about long-distance journeys. Our Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy will define our vision for the continued roll-out of a world-leading charging infrastructure network across the UK, including outside of the Strategic Road Network. The strategy will focus on how we will unlock the chargepoint deployment needed to enable the transition from early adoption to mass market uptake of EVs and will clearly establish government’s expectations for the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders. Government understands that grid connections for charging infrastructure can be costly and we are working with network companies to ensure that those seeking a connection are supported to find the most cost-effective solution. To facilitate this, we have worked with industry and consumers to create a central source of guidance for fleet and commercial EV customers on how to secure grid connections in a timely, easy and affordable manner, which we have now published on https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/ connecting-electric-vehicle-chargepoints-to-theelectricity-network. The energy regulator, Ofgem, is considering reforms to the current grid connection charging regime, and has recently proposed to remove the cost of wider electricity network reinforcement from the connection costs faced by electricity demand customers, such as those installing EV chargepoints. Any proposed changes, if agreed, would come into effect in April 2023 and would significantly reduce connection costs for some EV charging infrastructure projects.