EVA England backs mandating of solar panels on car parks

Electric vehicle drivers’ association responds to government call for evidence on solar car parks and EV charging

The idea of mandating the installation of solar canopies on new outdoor car parks has been welcomed by EVA England visible, practical way to accelerate the switch to cleaner power and transport

EVA England has submitted its response to the government’s recent Call for Evidence on Solar on Car Parks and Electric Vehicle Charging.

Running from 7 May to 18 June 2025, the government’s Call for Evidence was seeking views on a proposal to mandate the installation of solar canopies on new outdoor car parks, subject to certain exemptions, as well as views around current planning policy relating to EV charging infrastructure.

Following our concerted member engagement to identify prevailing barriers to EV charging, we outlined in our response a set of 8 key policy proposals we consider to overhaul current planning and regulatory restrictions preventing the next phase of seamless, cost-effective EV charging.

As a members’ association, EVA England is the only organisation in the country solely dedicated to current and future electric vehicle (EV) drivers’ interests, independently of the EV manufacturing and charging sectors. Our role is to represent the people behind the wheel – their experiences, frustrations, and ideas – so that policies are shaped to make electric driving work for all. Indeed, ensuring and promoting positive driver experiences and perceptions are central to delivering and meeting the goals of the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate.

EVA England’s latest survey shows that 9 out of 10 EV drivers never want to go back to petrol or diesel, and many become trusted advocates of the benefits of electric driving. But with nearly 40% of households without access to a private driveway and only 2.3% of public chargepoints suitable for drivers with disabilities, we risk leaving too many behind.

The technologies already exist to make charging cheaper, more convenient, and more accessible for these millions of drivers, but complex and costly planning processes and a lack of key regulations that protect electric vehicle consumer rights are holding them back from making the switch.
In our response, we urged the government to act now, particularly through the Planning and Infrastructure Bill, and remove key planning and regulatory barriers.

Here are the key steps the government can take to unlock more affordable and equitable access to charging:

• Giving tenants and leaseholders the right to request chargepoints and simplifying the planning process for those who wish to apply for cross pavement technologies will allow millions more households to access affordable charging
• Looking at how to extend the benefits of smart charging and variable pricing to the public charging network will bring down charging costs for all drivers who use that network
• Ensuring the existing chargepoint regulations are extended to support drivers with disabilities will mean no-one is left behind in the transition
• Improving traffic regulations to make sure chargepoints are adequately signposted will go a significant way to tackling ongoing perceptions around range anxiety and chargepoint availability
• Adequately monitoring and enforcing compliance with existing regulations around chargepoint payment processes will make every driver’s experience better.

Small changes can make a big difference, improving all drivers’ experiences of switching to electric, and shaping a more reassuring and positive public discourse around EVs and net zero as a whole.

Read EVA England’s full report here