Energy crisis lifeline as EV charging push to slash public anxiety over ditching petrol

According to Mr Coulton, the real problem lies in the accessibility, reliability and geography of the charge points — issues the automotive industry and the Government must address.

Data from the Department of Transport has previously flagged the fact that a disproportionately high number of charging points per head can be found in London and the South East — at 128 chargers per 100,000 people compared to just 47 in Scotland, 29 in Wales and 17 in Ireland.

The north of England is also disadvantaged in this sense, with only 33 chargers per 100,000 people in the North East, 22 in the North West and just 21 in Yorkshire and the Humber.

This “postcode lottery”, Mr Coulton and his colleagues believe, has resulted in “range anxiety” — the fear that electric cars will not be able to travel far enough on a single charge — being replaced with the new driver phenomenon of “charging anxiety”.

However, they added, there is hope that the Government’s £450 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure fund, which will fund such projects as EV hubs and on-street charging solutions — will help to alleviate regional disparities and minimise public concerns.

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Article source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1629176/energy-crisis-electric-vehicle-charging-society-motor-manufacturers-traders