Written evidence from Steve Huntingford (ELV0106) 

House of Lords Environment & Climate Change Committee inquiry: EVs 

Experience of using an EV

Responses from Steve Huntingford, editor of What Car?

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

• The availability of charging infrastructure is one of the main concerns that consumers have when considering an EV. Due to the paucity of on-street charging in a lot of areas outside of London, many EV users (particularly in cities, where the majority of households do not have access to a driveway, must rely on charging their vehicles at their place of work or in dedicated charging facilities in car parks, shopping centres and petrol stations. 
• We regularly poll our readers to understand their attitudes towards issues affecting motorists. Concern over charging infrastructure is one of the top reasons drivers give for not adopting EVs (56% of drivers surveyed cited this as a reason for not going electric). More must be done to assure drivers that they won’t spend their days queuing for public chargers if they make the switch.
• EV drivers also experience ‘range anxiety’ – i.e., the worry that they will not be able to reach their destination with the remaining charge available. This is compounded by the fact that it takes considerably longer to charge an EV than it does to fill a petrol tank, so EV drivers often have to think strategically when choosing a time and place to charge their vehicles. The reality is that EV ranges are increasing as technology develops, and even long journeys (which once were unfeasible in EVs) are now possible, as long as the infrastructure is there to support them. However, range is one area where perception hasn’t kept up with reality.
• In the last year, we have also noticed a shift towards some readers worrying less about range and more about the efficiency of electric cars. This is linked to the recent rises in the cost of electricity and people therefore worrying that they won’t recoup the higher upfront cost of buying an electric car versus a petrol or diesel. Indeed, our own tests show that it can often be more expensive to complete journeys in an EV than a petrol vehicle when charging/fueling at motorway services.
• This higher initial outlay is prohibitive for many motorists. Indeed, our own data shows that 41% of drivers cited the expense as a reason for not going electric.

19. What are the main benefits that UK consumers could realise from using an EV?

• Because of the lack of tailpipe emissions, EV drivers do not pay road tax, although this is obviously due to change from 2025.
• There are also big incentives for company car drivers in terms of the amount of benefit-in-kind (BiK) tax they pay.
• EVs are exempt from the London Congestion Charge and from paying clean air fees, such as the recently extended London ULEZ. And electricity remains cheaper than petrol or diesel on a cost-per-mile basis if you can charge at home on a cheap, overnight tariff.
• EV drivers sometimes benefit from lower servicing and maintenance costs because EVs have fewer moving components.

20. How prepared are car dealerships, service networks, repairs and maintenance organisations, breakdown services and aftermarket suppliers to meet the growing EV uptake?

• There is a looming skills gap when it comes to maintaining EV powertrains, as the industry transitions away from petrol and diesel vehicles. Currently around one in every 32 vehicles on UK roads has plug-in capability. As this proportion increases, it will place an undoubted strain on the aftersales network, because existing technicians will need to be trained in the new technology. 

21. How does the charging infrastructure for EVs need to develop to meet the 2030 target? Does the UK need to adopt a single charging standard (e.g., the Combined Charging System (CCS) or is there room in the market for multiple charger types?

• The size of the EV car parc in the UK has grown at a faster rate than the EV infrastructure over the last few years, meaning there are actually more EVs in circulation per charger now than in the past – adding to concerns over charging provision.
• Confusion among consumers would be eased if the industry adopted a single charging standard, as has been the case with mobile phone technology.
• There is also a need to phase out older units that do not allow contactless card payments and instead require the user to download a dedicated and glitchy app or have ordered an RFID card in advance.

22. The Government recently published the draft legislation of “Public Charge Point Regulations 2023”. What assessment have you made of the draft legislation text, and what contribution will it make in ensuring the charging experience is standardised and reliable for consumers?

• The 99% reliability requirement is a welcome step which will boost consumer confidence in public charging infrastructure, although it will need to be properly policed and enforced. Too often, at the moment, you arrive at a charging station to find multiple units out of order.

23. What assessment do you make of the requirements set out in the draft legislation of “Public Charge Point Regulations 2023” for charge point operators to make data free and publicly available, and how may this improve the EV charging experience for consumers?

• As mentioned in the answer to question 18, range/charging anxiety is one of the biggest hurdles to widespread EV adoption in the UK. Having a 99% reliability requirement and live updates on charge points should go a long way to demonstrating that going electric is not something to be feared. 
• The latest generation of connected vehicles have the potential to make use of real-time data to alert drivers to the availability (or not) of public charge points, improving the ownership experience for drivers who have made the switch.
• By prioritising reliability, clear pricing and easier payments, this regulation should improve the reliability of electric travel. Increasing consumer confidence in electric vehicles will increase their adoption rates, boosting sales and hopefully causing EVs to become less expensive as they become more widespread.

24. In terms of charging infrastructure, are there unique barriers facing consumers in areas of low affluence and/or multi-occupancy buildings, such as shared housing or high-rise flats? Do you consider public EV charging points to be accessible and equitable compared to home-charging points? What can be done to improve accessibility and equitability?

• A significant proportion of UK households (estimates suggest around 30%) do not have access to off-street parking, preventing residents from enjoying the cost and convenience benefits of the most popular source of EV charging – a domestic wallbox. These drivers are instead forced to rely on far more expensive and often less reliable public charging solutions.
• Our own data shows that the biggest barrier to EV adoption is how expensive these vehicles are to buy, with the lack of charging availability coming in a close second. 

25. Is there a financial benefit to the consumer of choosing an EV over an ICE vehicle? Are there further benefits, aside from financial, that a consumer may gain from EV use?

• To answer this question, you need to consider the total cost of ownership. EVs are generally a lot more expensive to buy, but cheaper to run as long as the user can charge at their home or workplace. The point at which an EV becomes more cost effective will depend on how long you keep the vehicle and your annual mileage.
• As mentioned in the answer to question 24, our own data shows that the main barrier to EV adoption is cost.
• EVs can help improve local air quality, particularly in cities. And homeowners with solar panels can potentially charge EVs using their own renewable energy for added cost/environment benefits.
• The latest generation of EVs also has the potential to power electrical items using the vehicle battery. So called Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) technology turns an EV into a mobile generator, while Vehicle-to-Grid technology (where EVs can put their energy directly into the grid) have the potential to transform the way the UK stores and manages its energy at a customer level. 
• A lot of modern electric cars are actually very enjoyable to spend time in. The lack of engine noise, for example, helps to make them relaxing (as long as the interior of the car is sufficiently isolated from wind and road noise). And because electric motors deliver their maximum torque from zero rpm, EVs tend to feel very responsive and easy to control.