Electric Vehicles Bill gets green light

Legislation aimed at boosting the number of electric vehicle charging points in public spaces across the country will be passed later today.

According to the Department for Transport, the passage of the Automated and Electric Vehicles Act through Parliament, represents a ‘significant step’ towards improved air quality, reduced congestion, boosted road safety and the creation of thousands of jobs across the UK.

The Bill will aim to increase the number of EV charging points available at locations including motorway services and petrol stations

The AEV Act aims to bring about an improvement in electric chargepoint availability by giving the government powers to ensure motorway services are upgraded with charging points, as well as allowing Mayors to request installations at large fuel retailers in their areas.

The new laws will “improve consumer confidence in charging their vehicles by making sure that public chargepoints are compatible with all vehicles”, DfT says, as well as standardising how they are paid for, and setting standards for reliability.

Low emission

Jesse Norman, Roads Minister, said: “The UK is becoming a world leader in the roll-out of low-emission transport. Today we have passed a significant milestone in that journey.

“The increasing automation of our cars is transforming the way we drive, and the government is steadily updating our laws in order to prepare for the future.

“This Act will ensure that the UK’s infrastructure and insurance system is ready for the biggest transport revolution in a century.”

The Act will also bring automated vehicle insurance in line with longstanding motor insurance practice, ensuring that motorists are covered both when they are driving, and when the driver has legitimately handed control to the vehicles, DfT says.

The measures in the new Act align with the government’s recently launched Road to Zero strategy, which outlines how the country will move towards a target to phase out the sale of conventional petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040.