Green parking spaces for electric vehicles

Department for Transport plans to encourage EV use and make charging more convenient

Parking spaces for electric vehicles (EVs) could be painted green as part of the UK government’s programme of support for cleaner and greener vehicles. Transport secretary Grant Shapps announced the idea during the first ever World EV Day, which took place on 9 September.

Shapps said the government will be stepping up its support for improving air quality, driving down emissions and encouraging drivers to make the switch to electric vehicles through considering recommendations in a government-commissioned report by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV).

Ideas being considered include: EV chargepoints being installed at popular destinations such as supermarkets and tourist sites; consistent and clear public signage for drivers on UK roads; and providing guidance to local authorities on painting EV parking spaces green.

The transport secretary said: “Whether you’re taking a trip with the family or commuting to work, with the wide range of models at competitive prices, it is now more cost-effective and convenient than ever to drive and charge an electric vehicle. This, together with our continued support for R&D, will see talented UK-based SMEs flourish, as well as more than 6,000 skilled jobs created up and down the country.”

Further steps to decarbonise road transport taken by the government include £12m in funding for research and development (R&D) investment to support a series of competitions for some of the most promising EV technologies. Together with Innovate UK, a non-departmental public research body, the funding will support a range projects designed to open up commercial opportunities, one of which could see cars of the future benefit from a 6-minute battery charge. Meanwhile, Highways England is backing a green incentive scheme that allows businesses to try electric vehicles for free before they buy. The £9.3m scheme is being financed from Highways England’s Designated Funds programme.

Advice for EV buyers

The Department for Transport (DfT) is working with Autotrader, a website for buying and selling cars, to develop a dedicated electric vehicle (EV) section to help potential EV purchasers with their decision, with more sites expected to follow.

Ian Plummer, director at Autotrader, said: “Range anxiety, charging infrastructure and costs remain the primary barriers to adoption of electric vehicles. Therefore, in a bid to help consumers and alleviate some of their concerns, we relaunched our electric vehicle hub with new editorial content and improved search functionality.”

The hub features specialist content and car reviews to educate consumers about what they need to know about zero-emission cars, as well as helping to alleviate concerns they might have. Improved search filters on Autotrader now present things like battery range and charging time, while key information such as battery range is more prominently displayed in vehicle adverts on the online marketplace.