UK must invest in charging infrastructure to keep pace with EV demand

Leaf EV with charger

The UK announced its Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy last week, a £1.6 billion ($2 billion) investment plan designed to plug the widening gap between EV sales and the ability of those drivers to actually charge the cars they have bought

The announcement of the investment went some way to answering points raised two days earlier at a special summit on the future of electrification in the UK organised by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which represents the interests of the UK automotive industry. SMMT Electrified brought together 400 senior level representatives from automotive, charging infrastructure, battery supply chain, energy, fleets, logistics, government, and consumer groups to work out how the automotive industry, stakeholders and the government could join forces and realise a successful transition to zero-emission mobility.

An adequate charging infrastructure is central to the success of that transition, as is the localised gigawatt power to maintain charging and the production of batteries needed for EV production in the country.

According to the SMMT, over the last decade the automotive industry in the UK has invested £10.8 billion in EV production, and battery research and development (R&D). Over that time UK manufacturers have produced around 250,000 electric passenger cars, vans and trucks.

THIS ARTICLE IS AVAILABLE TO REGISTERED USERS ONLY.

To continue reading this article and others like it, please SIGN-IN or REGISTER FREE today.

Create your FREE Automotive Logistics Account

AL Comp Tablet and print phone image 400px

By creating your account you will be able to stay up-to-date with the latest industry developments, trends and analysis, read in-depth reports and intelligence, and connect with your peers.

Creating an account gives you:

  • Detailed analysis and the latest news from leading global vehicle makers, tier suppliers and logistics providers
  • A weekly update on developments from your chosen sector  
  • A website homepage that is customised to the stories you want
  • Regular updates on our new suite of digital products
  • Early access to reports from our global portfolio of events

Gain access to our exclusive content and features register free today

Non-registered users are able to access one AL exclusive articles per week. You have now used your allocation.
To continue reading this article and others like it, please SIGN-IN or REGISTER FREE today