Due to the lack of chargers, sales of electric vehicles remain at a low level
A chronic shortage of charging points is reducing demand for electric vehicles (EVs), pushing the UK car industry into crisis.
There are now more than 71,000 public chargers in Britain, with an average of 57 being added every day.
The Department for Transport described it as ‘a fantastic achievement’.
But analysis by the Mail shows that Britain needs to build around 120 a day to reach the target of 300,000 public chargers by 2030.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said the country is in ‘urgent need of a national strategy and binding targets’.
A shortage of charging points, which has fueled ‘range anxiety’ among motorists concerned about where to top up their batteries, has been highlighted as one of the reasons why demand for electric vehicles has fallen. Drivers are also deterred by the price of electric vehicles, which tend to be more expensive than petrol and diesel alternatives.
Expanding network: There are now more than 71,000 public chargers in Britain, with an average of 57 being added every day
This means that car manufacturers will miss the sales targets set by the government, causing them to face heavy fines. The quotas and the threat of financial sanctions have led some manufacturers to question their future in Britain.
Vauxhall’s owners are debating the future of factories in Ellesmere Port and Luton. Nissan says quotas risk “irreversible” damage, putting jobs and billions in investments at risk.
And Ford says the government’s zero emissions quotas are ‘unworkable’, increasing pressure on ministers to relax rules and boost demand for electric cars through stimulus measures.
Mike Hawes, CEO of SMMT, said: “If we want more people to go electric, we need plenty of public charging points so drivers can make the switch with confidence. Britain urgently needs a national strategy and binding targets for the rollout of charging points.”
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: ‘We want to further accelerate the rollout; A further £200 million was committed in the budget last month.
‘The 300,000 figure was an estimate rather than a target, and independent bodies, including the Climate Change Commission, say the infrastructure rollout is on track.’
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