Anjna and Zoe will be charging across Europe

Disabled Motoring UK’s roadtrip will test the accessibility of European EV charging network

A disabled driver will take on a 2,800-mile return journey from Birmingham to Spain in a fully electric vehicle during May, putting the accessible charging network to the test in a way never done before.

Organised by Disabled Motoring UK (and supported by Specialist Vehicle Rental), the project will document the real-life challenges of travelling abroad in an electric vehicle (EV) as a disabled person. 

At a time when electric vehicles are rapidly becoming the norm, accessibility is still lagging severely behind. In the UK, just 2.3% of on-street charge points are currently considered accessible, while consistent standards across Europe are only just beginning to be developed.

Leading the journey is Anjna Patel MBE, 68, DMUK member and trustee, who has lived with severe rheumatoid arthritis for over two decades. Despite growing pressure to switch to electric vehicles, she has so far not switched due to accessibility and range anxiety. This journey will put those concerns to the test.

Travelling with Patel is DMUK colleague Zoe Rush, providing media coverage and general support. Throughout the journey Anjna and Zoe will be cataloguing the barriers and challenges faced when locating and using the EV charging infrastructure, alongside the added complexities of travelling with mobility issues. The return journey to Alicante, Spain is expected to take six days, and will require approximately 16 charging stops round-trip.

The additional risks and concerns often faced by women, older people, and disabled people contribute to fears around transitioning to electric vehicles. 

Many disabled people, raise concerns relating to inaccessible bays, heavy charging cables and range anxiety. 75% of disabled people who have used EVs, find chargepoints are accessibility is very bad or bad (2023 Euan’s Guide Access Survey, completed by 6,000+ participants). 

Driving a VW ID.4, Anjna will conduct accessibility audits at each stop, using the framework from the ‘Safer Parking Accessible EV accreditation,’ which follows PAS 1899 standards. She will also record any accessibility issues encountered along the route. 

Disabled Motoring UK hopes the project will highlight the urgent need for inclusive EV infrastructure, while also improving understanding and confidence among disabled drivers ahead of the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate.

Disabled Motoring UK chief executive Graham Footer said: “The transition to electric vehicles is accelerating, and it is vital that accessibility is not treated as an afterthought. For many disabled people, the current charging infrastructure presents significant barriers. By undertaking this ambitious journey, we aim to shine a light on those real-world challenges and push for meaningful, inclusive change across the EV network in the UK and Europe.”