Consultation launched to accelerate take up of EVs

A consultation on a new industry-wide EV Governance Framework (EVGF) has been launched to accelerate the take-up of electric vehicles (EVs) in the UK.

The EVGF will include common rules and standards — such as on smart charging and data sharing – to help the market operate more efficiently, champion innovation and boost sluggish consumer confidence in EVs.

It will also include a digital platform powering a new marketplace, a compliance tool, which will be overseen by an industry-led forum and could replace the need for government to introduce its own regulation.

The consultation, which is being launched by market innovator Gemserv and is being supported by Energy UK, E.ON, Innogy, The Institution of Engineering and Technology and the WWF, is open until April 18. To take part visit here.

Legal obligations on air quality standards and carbon emissions as well as government targets for zero emissions vehicles is underpinning the projected growth in EVs. However, Gemserv data shows that despite grants for EV charge points and a range of tax reliefs on EVs, the number of ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) has grown slowly with ULEVs representing only 2.2.% of all new vehicle registrations in 2018.

While this is an increase over the 2014 position of 0.5%, many consumers remain sceptical about EVs, which they say is likely contributing to this slow uptake rate. They add that recent scrapping to UK grants for hybrid vehicles and reductions in subsidies to electric vehicles will have also impacted the demand for new electric vehicle purchases.

Trevor Hutchings, director of strategy and communications at Gemserv, commented: ‘The uptake of EVs needs to accelerate significantly for the UK to meet air quality and climate change targets. The challenges facing those in the market are complex and significant, and require sustained action in order to achieve a swift and viable transition to EVs.’

‘Rather than relying on government intervention, this is an opportunity for industry to step-up and grip the issues holding back the EV market, and to reap the economic benefits from a world-leading transition to low carbon transport.  We are calling on all organisations across the EV market to respond to our ideas and determine the best approach.’