Electric car chargepoints to use smart technology by July 2019

The UK government has announced that all government-funded home chargepoints for electric vehicles must use innovative ‘smart’ technology from July 2019; fulfilling the commitment in the Road to Zero Strategy published earlier in 2018.

This means chargepoints must be able to be remotely accessed and capable of receiving, interpreting and reacting to a signal. Smart charging can reduce high peaks of electricity demands, minimising the cost of electric vehicles to the electricity system – and keeping costs down for consumers by encouraging off-peak charging.

Alongside this, the government has also announced that they have maintained grants to install chargepoints at home and in the workplace at their current level of up to £500, making charging easier for consumers and ensuring that plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles can be used to their full potential.

Jesse Norman, Roads Minister, said: “The government wants the UK to be the best place in the world to build and own an electric vehicle, and through leadership and innovation it is paving the way to a zero-emission future. We have already supported the installation of over 100,000 home chargepoints. The measures announced will give more people the opportunity to make the move to electric.”

The Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme has supported the delivery of domestic chargepoints to consumers since 2014 and has delivered over 60,000 grants to date.

Automotive Minister, Richard Harrington, said: “These measures will make it easier for consumers to move towards electric vehicles, helping us power towards a cleaner, greener future. Through our modern Industrial Strategy and Automotive Sector Deal, we are investing to ensure the UK is the leading destination for the innovation and manufacture of electric vehicle batteries and technologies to help all parts of the UK reap the economic benefits of these innovations.”

The measures outlined in the Road to Zero Strategy amount to nearly £1.5 billion of investment and represent one of the world’s most comprehensive packages of support for zero-emission vehicles.