The UK government has committed £1.6 billion to improve the availability and usability of Electric Vehicle infrastructure. Electric Vehicles will be key to meeting climate targets and achieving the government’s goal of becoming more energy self-sufficient. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We are moving forward with plans to help Britons go electric, with our expanding charging network making travel easier across the country. Clean transport is not only better for the environment, but which is another way we can reduce our reliance on external energy supplies, create new high-skilled jobs for our automotive and energy sectors, and ultimately ensure more sustainable and affordable motorsport for all.” While still far from being called “affordable” for most, government subsidies are helping push electric vehicles into more people’s budgets, while skyrocketing fossil fuel costs are increasing the appetite for electric vehicles. electric alternatives. So why is uptake still so lackluster? “Range anxiety” is still a major problem. While the recent fuel shortages may prompt a change of heart, many know that they can easily top up their petrol or diesel car in a matter of minutes in most places in the UK. The same cannot yet be said for electric vehicles. It’s not a big deal if you’re in a position to have a charger installed at home that you can return to at the end of the day and recharge overnight, but that’s not always possible. People who live in flats or areas with limited or no private parking may simply not have that luxury. There are currently around 30,000 charging stations across the UK. With the £1.6 billion announced today, the UK aims to increase that figure tenfold to £300,000 by 2030, just in time for a ban on the sale of new fossil fuel vehicles. A previously announced £950m fast-charging fund will also see more than 6,000 fast-charging stations established along England’s motorways by 2035. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps commented: “No matter where you live, whether Whether in the inner city or rural town, the north, south, east or west of the country – we’re accelerating the switch to electricity and making sure no one is left behind in the process.The scale of the climate challenge ahead is well known and decarbonizing transportation is at the top of our agenda. That’s why we’re making sure the country is EV-ready for future generations by the end of this decade, revolutionizing our charging network and putting the consumer in first place.” The UK’s most widely used charging network is operated by bp pulse. The operator has also committed £1bn to expand its network and create a hundred of new jobs. Richard Bartlett, Senior Vice President of bp pulse, said: “This £1bn investment is vital to providing the charging infrastructure the UK needs. We are investing to build a world-class network. This investment allows us to offer more. More high-speed charging at dedicated hubs and at existing fuel and convenience sites. More home recharge services. And crucial enhancements to our digital technology that will make charging fast, easy and reliable.” Another common complaint with electric vehicles is that not all chargers are compatible with all vehicles. You might breathe a sigh of relief at the sight of an electric charger as your battery percentage drops only to find that the plug doesn’t fit your vehicle. New rules being introduced for carriers will allow drivers to find nearby compatible charging points, compare prices and pay through apps. Taken together, the measures put in place should help give more people the confidence to switch to electric vehicles. Want to learn about IoT from industry leaders? Take a look at IoT Tech Expo. The next events in the series will be held in Santa Clara on May 11-12, 2022, Amsterdam on September 20-21, 2022, and London on December 1-2, 2022. Explore other upcoming events and TechForge powered business technology webinars here. Tags: Connected Cars, Fast Charging Fund, Government, Mobility, Electric Vehicles, Transport, UK