Growth in the UK’s public electric car charger network will come from dedicated charger companies, utilities and the government, rather than car makers, an Autocar investigation has concluded.
Apart from the Ionity rapid-charging network, which is funded by a consortium of nine car makers, very few if any of the 60-plus car brands operating in the UK are funding charging infrastructure to speed up the adoption of electric cars. “We consider it is up to private network operators and the government,” said the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
At the recent launch of the Peugeot e-208, Carlos Tavares, boss of the PSA Group that owns Peugeot, made it clear that PSA does not see charging networks as a core business, even though uptake of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) like the e-208 might be held back by buyers’ concern over public charging networks.
A recent survey by Autocar sibling title What Car? linked buyers’ caution to buying BEVs to sparse charging networks, alongside range anxiety and a shortage of affordable models.
A PSA Group UK spokesman confirmed that Tavares’ view is also policy for its UK subsidiary, Vauxhall, whose Corsa-e will be launched in April 2020.
The same goes for PSA’s UK sales operations for Peugeot, Citroën and DS, also with new EVs due in 2020 and ’21. “This is a business decision because there are companies already in the infrastructure area better placed to supply that service,” said the spokesman.
UK car market leader Ford is taking a different approach as a founding partner in Ionity, which this year opened its first 350kW fast-charge sites in the UK as part of a Europe-wide plan to mirror the Tesla Supercharger network.
Ionity’s other partners are Volkswagen, Hyundai and Kia, plus premium market leaders Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Mini and Porsche. Progress isn’t happening overnight, but Ionity now has three sites operating in the UK, with a fourth being built.
Join the debate
Add your comment
Electricity network
Unfortunately everyone seems obsessed with a common charging strategy and quick charging. In order to charge above 100KW one new substation per 4 cars is required (ask Tesla how much this costs). Also the existing network is in some cases 60+ years old and and was not designed for charging electric vehicles and the new network being installed by private network operators is built down to a price so good luck with having a decent charger installed on some new housing sites. The Government has created this by encouraging competition in the electricity market with unexpected consequences.
Lambo58
company which requires something, on the level of mission critical, dumps a load of money in to making it, offering free usage as a sales pitch (no longer offered) and way to make implementation simpler, to basically beg people to get on board with the venture as without it the entire operation will fail. They had no other option. Grow up.
Actually it's you who needs
Actually it's you who needs to grow up.
Talk about base stupidity, how do you think that a tiny startup against the might of hundred year old legacy car makers can get headway.? you need to grow a brain .
Methinks you doth protest too much.
Bit like this rag
lambo58 wrote:
Methinks your idol, that weed toting, peado accusing, Springbok will burn out of cash faster than a Falcon 9 burns rocket fuel and disapear up his own arse from where most of his talk comes from.
You just cant help being a
You just cant help being a total arse can you?
You have my pity
lambo58 wrote:
Seems not old chap. I take inspiration from your informative, insightful and incredibly intellectual posts and, thank you for the pity, it's appreciated.
As usual this anti Tesla rag
As usual this anti Tesla rag makes no mention of the elephant in the room that started the whole charging network. Tesla.
This pathetic rag will continue to receive my shooting fish in a barrel contempt until the editor whom I dispise wakes up and gives credit where its due.
Laughable
lambo58 wrote:
I'm sure those responsible for this 'rag' will take note of your contempt, call an immediate emergency meeting and change their content to suit your pro 'Rocket Man' stance.
The only laughable part of this is, is your post...
You dont need to reply.
You dont need to reply.
Like shooting fish in a barrel...