Over half of EV drivers believe more charging points needed in car parks

A new study has found that 63% of electric vehicle drivers believe there needs to be more chargepoints in public car parks.

Intelli-Park has launched a new ‘Parking Matters’ report in partnership with Opinium – a decade on from its first data-driven parking industry report.

The report highlights how parking usage and trends have changed over the past ten years and has revealed crucial information on current and future priorities, for both car park users and owners – with EV charging generating divided opinions – 71% of car park owners have invested in charging points while 63% of EV drivers say more are needed.

Almost half of EV drivers prefer to charge their vehicles at home (48%) where it is cheaper. Meanwhile, just 23% like to charge while on the move (e.g. at a garage) and 21% charge their vehicles once they’ve reached their destination. At the same time, 74% of EV drivers admit they are more likely to visit destinations with EV charging. This presents an opportunity to increase sustainable initiatives for car parking spaces, by installing more EV charging points they can keep up with demand and move to achieve sustainable goals.

Price, speed, location and the availability of apps to help locate charging points are the top four most important priorities for EV drivers right now. The rise in demand for EV parking accessibility reflects the importance of more sustainable travel options for consumers – something that has also been seen within this Parking Matters report.

Stuart Harrison, Chief Strategy Officer at Intelli-Park and British Parking Association (BPA) President, said: “It’s been interesting to explore how parking trends have changed and to uncover the statistics and motivations behind the key changes over the last ten years.

“There is a growing need for a more extensive EV charging infrastructure, with the majority of EV owners opting to charge their vehicle at home, and many feeling there are not enough available points. At the same time, high speed and low price of charging are recognised as being the most effective way of attracting EV drivers into car parks.”

Looking ahead, one in five car park owners plan to increase investment in their car parks over the next year, with the remaining owners keeping investment consistent with previous years.

This further investment will be used to help car park owners deliver on their biggest priorities over the next two years – improving car park experience (66%), increasing visitor footfall (50%), improving disabled parking (44%), encouraging longer stays (38%) and increasing, as well as decreasing, the volume of cars (31%).

Meanwhile, 79% of car park owners perceive sustainable travel planning as being important over the next ten years, reflecting the rise in EV usage.  This is closely followed by last mile delivery (75%) and tech and data integration (71%).

Ben Cooke, CEO of Intelli-Park, said: “This report highlights the undeniable evolution of EVs and the pressing need to bolster the required infrastructure within the mobility sector. We recognise this pivotal shift and are committed to playing a leading role in facilitating the seamless integration of EV-charging solutions.

“Balancing the growing demand for EV charging while not neglecting the space required for non-EV drivers will be an interesting challenge for site owners over the coming years. Continuous innovation and sustainability is undoubtedly central to shaping and creating car parks of the future that are responsive to ever-evolving needs and integral to helping achieve a more environmentally-responsible landscape.”