Automotive industry calls on Government to deliver more EV infrastructure to ease “charging anxiety”

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has called on the UK Government to deliver more investment in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure to ease this decade’s “charging anxiety.”

According to data, the ratio between charging infrastructure and number of electric vehicles has worsened in the last year.

“Last year, it was about one for every 16 EVs on the road, this year it’s more likely to be one for every 32,” SMMT’s chief executive Mike Hawes told journalists during a press conference. “Things are getting worse because of that pace of market transition for EV sales.

“We need infrastructure to catch up.”

Hawes added that while infrastructure for private vehicles is lagging behind, in other parts of mobility such as commercial vehicles infrastructure is basically non-existent.

“So that’s why we’re calling for a national plan to get the right charges in the right place ahead of need, for binding targets on infrastructure to match those that we as an industry are getting and for all stakeholders to being able to play their part.”