Making EV charging infrastructure work for drivers

EVA England’s Vicky Edmonds sets out how better signage and planning can boost confidence in electric vehicles

What should EV chartgepoint signs look like? (EVA England)

At EVA England, we know that the transition to electric vehicles (EVs) isn’t just about the cars, it’s about the confidence to drive them. To help with that, we need the right charging infrastructure to be built in the right places – and that drivers can find.

This quarter, we have focused on both. Through the National Planning Policy Framework consultation, we are pushing for planning rules that properly support the roll-out of charging infrastructure. 

And through the Department for Transport’s call for evidence on signage, we are making the case for clear, consistent signs that help drivers find it. 

Updating the ‘Rule Book’: the NPPF consultation  

The National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) is the high level rule book for planning in England. It provides guidance for local planning authorities and developers on how to build developments and infrastructure sustainably and effectively, and in line with government policy. 

It is therefore imperative that it reflects wider national government policy on decarbonisation, including for the transition to electric driving. At EVA England, we believe that means explicitly mentioning and supporting the rollout of critical EV charging infrastructure – something the NPPF does not yet do.

Domestic transport is responsible for 30% of greenhouse gas emissions, and road transport contributes around 90% of that. Road transport is also responsible for a substantial proportion of air quality emissions. Achievement of a successful and sustainable transition to electric vehicles will therefore be central to ensuring that the populations of our towns and cities have clean air to breathe, as well as to achieving the government’s decarbonisation and net zero goals.

To support the transition to electric vehicles, an affordable and accessible nationwide charging infrastructure is needed. 

EVA England has therefore stipulated that the NPPF must include provisions that support the need for adequate space to install accessible chargepoints, and to support the installation of the required electricity connections and infrastructure to ensure all residents, employers and employees can access charging for their vehicles – whether this is for private off-street charging or public charging, including cross pavement solutions.

Charging infrastructure is the critical ‘re-fuelling’ infrastructure of the future, and the government’s planning frameworks must support its roll-out. 

Solving the ‘Visibility Gap’

The DfT call for evidence on signage

EVA England survey results show that range anxiety is still a perceived barrier to switching to electric for 48% of non EV drivers, and a quarter of non EV drivers believe there is not sufficient charging infrastructure available. This is in large part down to drivers not knowing the infrastructure is there – they don’t know what it looks like and they don’t know how to find it.

Standard, clear charging signage on motorways and at motorway service areas, across the wider strategic road network, and at local level – demonstrating that chargepoints are there and available – is vital to overcoming what is one of the key barriers still holding back the EV transition.

It is also imperative that road signage works for current EV drivers, and is future proofed for a time when EVs will become the dominant type of passenger car transport. There are nearly two million EVs on the road and climbing. 

The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate will drive new EV sales towards 80% fully electric within the next four years, and the used EV market will pick up pace.

Drivers need to be able to find EV chargepoints easily, whether they have or do not have access to smart technology within the car or on their phones.

The Department for Transport launched a call for evidence this quarter, asking for views on the need for – and barriers to – roll out of chargepoint signage across the road network.

The key points made in the EVA England response to this call for evidence are:

Motorway and Strategic Road network signage:
Current motorway signage serves the petrol and diesel market only, and not the current or future EV market. Signage at motorway service areas for EV chargepoints is either absent entirely or too hard to spot.

EV drivers are subsequently experiencing an added level of burden and inconvenience over petrol and diesel drivers – they are being asked to experience a poorer standard. EV drivers report having to find the rough location of a chargepoint through their phone or the smart technology in their car, and then drive around until they spot the chargers themselves.

It is absolutely critical that EV infrastructure – the main refuelling infrastructure of the future – is properly signposted so that is clear that it is there and available for EV drivers. It is also critical that this signage is standardised across the UK, and that it serves the needs of drivers – that it is clear, and that, if possible, it provides them with necessary information on chargepoint availability, accessibility and connection processes and pricing.

The local road network:
The problems drivers face on the strategic road network are exacerbated on local roads where space is more restricted, local authority appetite to support the EV transition inconsistent and mixed, and planning permissions appear to present a bigger barrier:

• Despite local authorities being able to apply to DfT for recharging facilities signage, anecdotal evidence from EV drivers suggest very few do, and that where there are signs, they are hard to spot and of different designs.
• Local authorities are not designating the bay as for EV charging only, particularly on street bays, which means they are often blocked by petrol and diesel cars and EV drivers cannot get to the chargepoint.
• Signs at charging bays and in local car parks around the chargepoint can create considerable confusion. Examples from drivers include lack of clear signage on whether parking charges also need to be paid; and confusing signage around whether chargepoints are accessible – or it is simply the parking bay that is accessible.

What do drivers want EV chargepoint signage to look like?

Whilst we continue our work on what ‘good’ signage looks like for an EV driver, at a minimum:

• Regulations should ensure that EV signage is given equal weight to petrol station signage on motorway signs, and that it is of a standard design across the UK. This must include any changes to planning law to ensure swift and easy roll-out, and any requirements on highways authorities and service operators to ensure compliance with regulations and delivery of adequate signage.
• These regulations must come with a delivery plan for accelerated rollout across the motorways.
• Regulations should also ensure that motorway service areas provide clear signage directing drivers to chargepoints; and that charging hubs and local chargepoints are signposted from the strategic road network and major local roads.
• Information should be provided on the number of chargepoints, and ideally on their availability and level of accessibility for users with disabilities (similar to car park signage on the number of spaces available), so that drivers do not have to rely on smart technology to gather this information whilst also driving, which is unsafe.
• Information must also be provided on relevant additional charges such as parking charges, and information on accessibility be clear and consistent.
• EV charging bays must be properly designated and enforced.
• Drivers also need information on connection sequencing, speed and pricing – whether on the chargepoint or separate – that is easy to understand.
• Signage should be clear, and tested with both EV and non EV drivers to ensure that it is clear that it meets their needs.

Vicky Edmonds is chief executive of EVA England