New UK Homes and Offices to Include EV Charging Points as Standard

England is poised to become the first nation in the world that requires all new residential buildings to include electric vehicle (EV) charge points as standard. As part of the UK Government’s transport decarbonisation plans, all new homes and offices will have to feature ‘smart’ charging devices. These charge points will automatically charge vehicles during off-peak periods. 

The plans state that all new residential buildings with an associated care parking space must have an EV charge point. This also includes any non-residential building which is undergoing conversion into dwellings. Residential buildings with more than 10 car parking spaces must also have specified cable routes for the charge points. 

The new plans will also affect new non-residential buildings. For new offices and commercial properties with more than 10 car parking spaces, charge points and cable routes must be installed for one in every five spaces. 

Good News for The Taxi Trade? 

In the July edition of TaxiPoint’s digital magazine, several hundred taxi and private hire drivers from across the UK were surveyed. They discovered that one of the major hurdles for drivers wanting to switch to EVs or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) was the insufficient charging network in their areas. Only 3.6% of those surveyed rated the charging network in their area as good or very good.  

The introduction of EV charging points as a standard feature of all new residential properties could be at least part of a solution. The convenience of having a charge point already installed at home could be the incentive some need to make the switch to an EV or PHEV. Any taxi or private hire drivers with plans to move house in the next few years could definitely benefit from looking into this in more detail. Estimates suggest electric cars can on average save you over £1,000 a year on both fuel and tax costs. 

Pitfalls 

Whilst this is definitely a step forward in plans for decarbonisation in the UK, there is a glaring problem. Over half of properties in the UK are terraced houses and more than a fifth of dwellings are flats or apartments. The vast majority of these properties do not have private off-road parking. This makes the installation of EV charge points inherently difficult even with government grants that are available.  

This means in practical terms; the new rules will do very little for the taxi and private hire industry. Focusing on rules which improve private access to EV charging infrastructure will only benefit a select few. This will usually be those fortunate enough to have the resources to not only buy an EV or PHEV, but also a new dwelling with a charge point installed.  

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