England is about to become the first country in the world to introduce mandatory electric car charging points for new-build homes. The new law will require that all homes being constructed from here on out, anywhere in the country, be fitted with charge points for electric vehicles.
This is happening because the government seeks to facilitate the infrastructure improvements necessary for the planned mass-adoption of electric vehicles. It also aims to support low-emission drivers and encourage the take-up of electric vehicles.
Having a charge point at home could save drivers £1,000 a year compared to those who rely on public charging facilities, says the electric car charging provider, Pod Point.
Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said:
With record levels of ultra-low emission vehicles on our roads, it is clear there is an appetite for cleaner, greener transport. Home charging provides the most convenient and low-cost option for consumers – you can simply plug your car in to charge overnight as you would a mobile phone.
For now, it is not a law yet. The Department for Transport has only announced a public consultation regarding its plans to change building regulations. If their plans go as intended and the changes are approved, it would force home builders to install charge points so potential owners could easily charge their plug-in hybrids and electric cars at home.
The announcement did not mention anything about how new-build houses without off-street parking would be fitted with charge points. Although the government has invested nearly £40 million into research projects – that included wireless charge points, and charge points that rise up from the pavement – so they’re definitely thinking about it.
The government is even making it easier for people by providing up to £500 off the costs of installing a charge point at home through the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (often referred to as the OLEV grant) which offers drivers a discount on the cost of buying and installing an electric vehicle charging device at home. All a homeowner has to do to get the discount is apply through the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme. Up to 20 sockets per homeowner can receive a £500 discount.
The Department for Transport is also looking into ‘smart’ charging and consulting on requirements that all new private charge points use ‘smart’ technology as well. Smart charging makes the best use of peak and off-peak electricity rates which means an electric vehicle would charge at different times of the day in response to signals. It would encourage off-peak charging, keeping costs down for consumers. The technology would enable the best use of peak and off-peak electricity rates and could see electric vehicles act as a hive-like network of power storage when large amounts of electricity are generated by wind turbines, for instance.
England has been putting a lot of focus on electric vehicles recently because the UK government has set stringent targets for air quality and pollution caused by internal combustion engine emissions. As part of their £1.5 billion Road to Zero strategy, the sale of all new cars without electrification will be banned beginning 2040. As part of this law, all new cars will have to be able to travel for 50 miles under battery power in order to be allowed to remain on sale, essentially removing all cars but pure electric cars, plug-in hybrids, and hydrogen cars from new-car showrooms.
The UK also has plans to be carbon neutral by 2050. Seeing as transport accounts for around a third of all greenhouse gas emissions, improving and reducing emissions from cars is a key target on the path to achieving this ambition.
