Under new Government plans, all newly built houses are to be fitted with an electric car charge point - by law.
This new proposal plans to support and encourage the uptake of vehicles in the UK, to help improve the experience of charging and to improve sales for these more energy and resource-efficient cars. These plans were outlined by the government in a public consultation, regarding changing building regulations in England, and took place on 15 July 2019.
They outlined the view to make it mandatory by law for all new build homes to come equipped with these charging points, for each with a dedicated parking space - this would make charging cheaper, easier and more convenient for drivers. It would be the first legislation of its kind in the world and is a part of England's effort in achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. They have also announced they would like to see debit or credit payment for all newly installed rapid and higher-powered charge points by Spring 2020.
The Transport Secretary Chris Grayling said: "With record levels of ultra-low emission vehicles on our roads, it is clear there is an appetite for a cleaner, greener transport. Home charging provides the most convenient and low-cost option for consumers." Saying that charging your car would feel as easy as plugging in your phone overnight.
The government has already taken steps in ensuring that existing homes are electric vehicle ready by providing nearly £500 off the cost of installing a charging point at home. Through the introduction of the Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme, almost 100,000 domestic charging points have been supported - a discount was offered to drivers buying and installing one at home.
These new chargers are to see motorists save up to £1,000 annually just off energy costs (compared to those using public facilities). They are also looking into all-new private charging points using 'smart' technology, for example, the car may charge at different points in the day as a response to data signals, like from electricity tariff information - this can encourage off-peak charging, so costs are kept down for consumers and lower the electricity demand on the grid.
