Government looks to slash red tape and costs around home charger fitting
Proposed planning reforms could make it easier and cheaper for EV drivers without off-street parking to install at-home charging.
Under new plans, the Government wants to remove planning permission requirements for cross-pavement cable gullies. This would help speed up the installation process and could save drivers £250 in application fees.
The Department for Transport and Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles say that the proposals would make it fairer for renters and leaseholders without a private driveway, giving them access to cheaper domestic energy rates.
A lack of at-home charging is seen as a major obstacle to driving an EV for the 40% of UK households without a driveway. While not a solution for those living in flats, pavement gullies are seen as a means to make cheaper charging more accessible for many households. They allow a home wallbox to be installed on a property and a cable to be safely run from it, under the pavement and to the roadside where the car is parked.
That means drivers can access tariffs as low as 6.5p/kWh, compared with an average on-street cost of around 52p/kWh.
The proposals also set out requirements for any new covered car parks to include EV chargers in a bid to boost the UK’s public network.
Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: “Wherever you park your car, we’re making it fairer, easier, and cheaper to make the switch to electric.
“These reforms will improve infrastructure for the EV revolution, increase chargepoints across the country and open up affordable home charging to thousands more households.
“It’s good news for drivers and a big boost for the growing British EV industry.”
Alongside mandating new chargers and removing planning requirements for cable gullies, the proposals include measures for the government to work with regulator Ofgem to strengthen protections against landowners overcharging tenants for home charging above the market rate.
The government also intends to work with Ofgem to ensure operators provide fair pricing and reliable infrastructure across the public charging network.
