Written evidence from Roadchef (ELV0100)

Roadchef submission to the House of Lords Environment and Climate Change Committee inquiry into Electric Vehicles

Executive summary

Net zero is the critical mission facing our communities, country, and planet. Achieving this requires us to look again at our daily lives, central to which is changing the way we travel.

More motorists are making the switch to an electric vehicle (EV), with 143,921 new vehicles registered in July 2023, representing a full year of non-stop market growth [1]. This will need to grow even further to meet the government’s 2030 ban on the sale of new internal combustion engine cars. However, one of the biggest barriers for widespread consumer adoption remains the ability to find quick and reliable charging points for EVs.

Increasing the breadth of EV charging provision is vital to enabling this transition – and with their position on the strategic road network, motorway service areas (MSAs) have a critical role to play in doing this.

Expanded charging infrastructure will give motorists the confidence that they can swiftly recharge their vehicles on longer journeys, which is crucial to incentivising more to make the switch to an EV.

This submission focuses on the challenges operators are facing in increasing charging provision at MSAs, which notably includes insufficient grid connections and power capacity along the strategic road network, and the policy mechanisms and funding incentives needed to address these barriers.

Roadchef is determined to play its full role in providing motorists with quick and reliable charging, and under new investment by Macquarie, have ambitious investment plans to install circa 300 Ultra Rapid Charging Bays as part of our next phase of rollout. Quick action from government will enable us to progress with this sooner, putting the UK on the right track to meeting its targets.

Experience of using an EV

What are the main challenges that UK consumers face in their use of EVs?

From our wealth of experience in providing facilities for motorists along the strategic roads network, we know that one of motorists’ main challenges when using EVs is finding quick and reliable charging provision that enables them to undertake longer journeys.

Charging an EV is not the same as re-fueling. The length of time it takes to charge an EV depends on the model of the vehicle, the type and power of the charging device and the state of the vehicle battery charge upon arrival.

This, partnered with the uncertainty of being able to locate a public charger that is not already in use, or has a queue of drivers waiting to use it, has meant that EV motorists have become accustomed to delays on their journeys, which is particularly burdensome for long-distance travel. This is also considered to be one of the major barriers preventing motorists from purchasing an EV.

MSAs are part of the solution to this challenge, and a critical contributor towards increasing consumer confidence in EV adoption. Research by Roland Berger found that on-route, public charging is expected to increase from 5% of the current charging mix to 16% by 2050, of which MSAs will represent 30% of this demand. Getting ahead of this consumer demand will help to reassure motorists who are considering making the switch and give them confidence for the longer journeys they do take.

National and regional issues

What are the challenges or concerns around grid capacity in relation to significantly increased EV adoption?

One of the greatest challenges we face in rapidly expanding our network of charging facilities lies with increasing power capacity and grid connectivity at our sites. Data by the Climate Change Committee [2], analysed by Ofgem [3], anticipates that zero emission vehicles and vans could increase total demand by approximately 30TWh in 2030 and 65-100TWh in 2050. This requires urgent attention and significant investment in the UK’s power network to increase capacity and deliver more electricity for EV charging.

In response to this challenge, the government has created the Rapid Charging Fund, a £950 million fund that will help to future-proof electrical capacity at motorways and major A road service areas, that would otherwise be too costly for operators to deliver in the short-term. Despite having first been announced by the government in 2020, funding is yet to be rolled out, and operators are still awaiting the imminent launch of the pilot scheme and public consultation. Roadchef believes that the Rapid Charging Fund is the greatest market incentive to connect more MSAs and rollout a rapid charging network ahead of consumer demand. Government must bring this forward as an urgent priority, so that the lack of en route charging is no longer a barrier to purchasing and using an EV for long distance journeys.

What is the role of distribution network operators in ensuring EV infrastructure can be rolled out sufficiently to meet 2030 target?

The Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) play a critical role in determining the scope and cost of grid connectivity projects and are key to meeting the government’s decarbonisation objectives. Roadchef acknowledges the pressures that DNOs face in prioritising projects that should be connected to the grid, or prioritised for increased electrical capacity, more urgently than others. However, given the government’s target of delivering 300,000 publicly available EV chargers by 2030, we believe there is a strong case for MSAs to be included in this prioritisation, or else the UK risks falling behind the vehicle adoption curve.

Removal of excessive red tape, revised policies and legal processes is urgently needed to future proof the network. For example, the DNOs apply a standard 99-year approach for the basis of connectivity leasing agreements. This presents a challenge for MSA operators who cannot grant anything longer than our own lease agreements, which is a significant issue for our state-owned MSAs. The DNOs timelines for delivering power must be sped up, and work should begin at pace, with some Roadchef sites unable to obtain additional power until after 2026, and at one location the timeframe is currently 2032. To ensure the Rapid Charging Fund delivers on its key objectives, it is critical that government coordinates with the DNOs to ensure they are able to deliver additional power at pace and unlock new and improved charging facilities.

Government approaches

What specific national policies, regulations or initiatives have been successful, or have hindered, EV adoption to date? Are these policies or initiatives fit for purpose?

The Green Recovery Scheme that was brought forward by Ofgem in 2021 to stimulate economic recovery and support faster delivery of decarbonisation benefits for consumers, was notably effective in reducing the cost of power. As a result, 14 of Roadchef’s MSAs were able to swiftly obtain grid connections to enable high powered chargers to be installed. We would welcome any further support that Ofgem is able to provide in this area.

We are confident that once brought forward, the Rapid Charging Fund will be transformational in helping us to rollout more charging. Government support for the upfront cost of new connections and power capacity means that our own resources can be spent on building the infrastructure itself. It is critical that we meet the increased demand for power as soon as possible, so that we can stay ahead of consumer demand for charging, which in turn will result in more EVs on the road.

About Roadchef

Roadchef is one of the UK’s leading motorway service area (MSA) operators. With 30 locations across the nation, our central ambition is to provide a restful and relaxing environment for over 52 million visitors at our MSAs each year. We have repeatedly been ranked the best large MSA operator in the annual Transport Focus Motorway Service Users Survey, achieving a score of 94% for customer satisfaction. We are proud to employ more than 3,000 people across our sites, and in 2023, ranked fourth on the Best Big Companies to Work for in the UK league table.