‘EV charging should be signposted as clearly as petrol stations’

InstaVolt, char.gy, Electric Vehicles UK and Octopus Electric Vehicles calling for clear, consistent signage of chargepoints to be rolled out across motorways, A-roads and residential streets

Clockwise from top left: Delvin Lane (InstaVolt), Fiona Howard (Octopus Electric Vehicles), Tanya Sinclair (Electric Vehicles UK) and John Lewis (Char.gy)

Electric vehicle charging should be signposted as clearly as petrol stations on the UK roads, says a coalition of organisations working in the sector.

The government is being urged to ensure signage EV charging covers on-street and residential charging, not just rapid hubs.

Major players across the UK’s EV charging sector have united to back OZEV’s new call for evidence on electric vehicle (EV) signage, urging government to seize the opportunity to fix what they describe as one of the simplest – and most overlooked – barriers to EV uptake: visibility.

In a coordinated response, InstaVolt, char.gy, Electric Vehicles UK and Octopus Electric Vehicles are calling for EV charging to be treated on an equal footing with petrol in national road sign regulations, and for clear, consistent signage to be rolled out across motorways, A-roads and residential streets.  

They cite research that shows that over half of drivers actively look for roadside EV charging signs, and nearly nine in ten say clear physical signage is important to them.

Creating consumer confidence

InstaVolt’s 2025 consumer polling found that over half of drivers actively look for roadside signs to find EV chargers, and nearly nine in ten say clear physical signage is important to them.

InstaVolt says message from the 1,000 drivers surveyed is clear: chargers don’t just need to exist, they need to be visible and easy to find from the road. For many people, especially those new to EVs or considering the switch, clear and consistent signage provides reassurance and confidence. 

Delvin Lane, chief executive of InstaVolt, said: “We welcome OZEV’s call for evidence on EV signage as a really positive step towards fixing one of the most overlooked barriers to EV uptake. 

“Right now, EV charging locations are treated very differently to petrol stations in the rules that govern road signs. That means thousands of high-quality public chargers are installed, operating, but not obviously signposted from key routes. If we want drivers to feel confident going electric, that has to change.

“We will be responding to this call for evidence and urging government, National Highways and local authorities to:

• Put EV charging on an equal footing with fuel in the road sign regulations.
• Roll-out clear, consistent symbols and pre-signs for chargers on motorways, A-roads and key urban routes.
• Make it simpler for councils to add EV charging to existing direction signs where hubs already exist.

Delvin Lane said: “This would be a low-cost, high-impact intervention. Better signage increases use of the chargers we already have, and sends a powerful public signal that the UK’s charging network is real, reliable and ready today.” 

On-street and residential charging

On-street charging network char.gy is urging government to ensure the review explicitly covers wayfinding to residential, lamppost and kerbside charge points, not just rapid chargers on main roads.

Char.gy highlights that while on-street and lamppost chargers are already bringing convenient, affordable charging to thousands of residential streets across the UK, they are too often effectively “hidden in plain sight”. Many drivers may live within a few minutes’ walk of reliable public charging but have no idea it exists.

John Lewis, chief executive of char.gy, said: “We would urge government and local authorities to treat EV signage, including wayfinding to on-street and lamppost charge points, as critical infrastructure. Clear, consistent signage can:

• Make home-adjacent charging visible to residents who don’t have off-street parking, helping them understand that switching to an EV is realistic for them.
• Reduce anxiety and confusion for new and prospective EV drivers by showing, at a glance, that charging is available on ordinary streets, not just at retail parks and motorways.
• Maximise the impact of existing investment in charging infrastructure; a charge point that isn’t clearly signposted or identifiable from the road isn’t delivering its full potential.

“As we continue deploying thousands of public EV chargers in partnership with local authorities, signage policy must evolve alongside this growth.

“That’s why we’re working with Brighton and Hove City Council and the British Parking Association to help shape future signage standards, and have submitted a proposed design with the ambition of it becoming the national EV charging sign.

“We believe there should be a stronger emphasis on simple, instantly recognisable symbols for EV charging, alongside clearer national guidance for councils on how and where these signs should be implemented.”

A simple fix to accelerate confidence

The chargepoint operators’ ideas regarding signage are supported by Tanya Sinclair, chief executive of Electric Vehicles UK, an organisation whose mission to increase consumer confidence in electric vehicles.

“Drivers cannot use infrastructure they cannot see,” she said. “If we are serious about confidence in the EV transition, charging must be signposted as clearly and consistently as petrol. This is not a technology issue. It is a visibility issue, and if we can fix it, we will bring confidence to current and future EV drivers.

“Other than the vehicles themselves, signage is one of the most visible ways drivers build confidence in going electric. Clear, consistent signage makes charging feel normal and navigable. It’s why many countries have moved quickly to standardise it. The UK has not. That lack of progress is frustrating, because this is one of the simplest and lowest-cost ways government could support driver confidence and accelerate adoption.” 

Fiona Howarth, founder and director of Octopus Electric Vehicles, added: “Households with driveways can cut petrol costs by up to 80% by going electric. Now we need to make sure everyone can share those savings by clearly signposting low-cost kerbside charging. With pay per mile tax expected in two years, government has a real opportunity to make charging simple, visible, and affordable on every street. If we get that right, more drivers can get their hands on EVs and discover just how great they are.”