UK’s biggest electric car charging network unveils plans to tackle ‘charge rage’

The boss of Britain's biggest electric vehicle (EV) charging network has vowed to cut queues and tackle "charge rage" with expansions of the company's busiest sites.

Roy Williamson, executive chairman of Gridserve, said his company had doubled the number of chargers available at its Rugby and Wetherby services this year and is in the process of increasing capacity by 50pc in Exeter.

The three motorway stops are among the country's busiest charging sites, triggering queues and heated exchanges between irate EV drivers and staff when a lack of chargers forces people to put up with long waits [1]. Advertisement Advertisement

It has prompted warnings that Britain faces an epidemic of "charge rage" unless the problem is tackled.

Carmakers and ministers also argue that a lack of infrastructure is holding people back from making the switch to electric.

Mr Williamson said Gridserve was now ramping up capacity "significantly faster than EV adoption" as the company races to address these worries.

The company has increased capacity at its Wetherby and Rugby sites from 12 high-powered chargers to 24 in the last three months. Meanwhile, it will have boosted the number at Exeter from 24 to 36 by the end of this year.

Gridserve is now accelerating the enhancement of its charging network in anticipation of a more widespread switch to EVs this decade - Jamie Lorriman

Mr Williamson told The Telegraph: "We don't like the idea of our customers having to queue, so we are putting infrastructure in that will make sure they don't have to. Advertisement

"Of course there will still be peaks - nobody can invest to the absolute peak - but we try to make sure that the experience is at least predictable."

The executive donned a high-vis jacket himself to help marshal drivers at Gridserve's Exeter motorway stop during the recent half-term break.

Large numbers of families driving EVs pass through the outpost on their way to holidays in Cornwall and the South West.

"And the maximum anybody had to wait was something like seven minutes," Mr Williamson said.

"But I fully accept that unless you make that time predictable and you assure people that somebody else isn't going to grab their spot, then it can be a stressful experience, and that's not what we want. That's why we're putting these big banks of chargers in. Advertisement

"So it is still a problem, no question. But we are doing everything we can to resolve it."

His comments come amid concerns that the growth in global sales of EVs have been slowing, with some countries such as Germany and Japan suffering declines following the withdrawal of subsidies.

In the UK, sales have continued to grow thanks to investment by fleet operators such as car leasing companies, but purchases by private individuals have been much weaker. A lack of adequate charging infrastructure has been cited as one reason for buyer reluctance.

Despite this mixed picture, Mr Williamson said Gridserve and the rest of the charging industry were working to expand quickly in anticipation of a rapid switch to electric vehicles over the next decade.

Advertisement Advertisement

By 2030, one in five cars on the road will be electric, compared to one in 25 today, according to forecasts by Auto Trader.

Earlier this year, a House of Lords report warned that charging infrastructure was still unevenly distributed across the UK, with providers often focusing on more profitable urban areas. This created "charge anxiety" when motorists ventured further afield.

"I think historically [the criticism] has been fair," Mr Williamson said. "The industry was behind.

Now though, ironically, we are actually ahead of EV uptake. The data shows that."

The charging network's size has grown by about 40pc this year, more than double the rate of growth in EV sales, which stands at 14pc so far this year. Advertisement

Gridserve operates 190 locations across the country. One of the company's new sites is a new "electric forecourt" on the edge of Stevenage. Part of a new generation of stops dedicated to EVs only, there are 24 high-powered chargers that can add 100 miles to an EV's range in just 10 minutes [2].

The site also features a grocery shop, cafe, seating area, free Wi-Fi and flexible working spaces upstairs.

This is because it can typically take around half an hour to fully charge an EV, compared to the five minute stop motorists are more used to at petrol stations.

According to a forecast by ChargeUK, which represents the charging sector, the number of charge points in the UK is expected to rapidly grow from a total of around 60,000 currently to 380,000 by the end of this decade.

That is partly off the back of demand that is expected to come from the Government's controversial zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which compels car manufacturers to more and more EVs until they reach 80pc of sales in 2030. Advertisement Advertisement

Car manufacturers are set to meet with Louise Haigh, Transport Secretary, and Jonathan Reynolds, Business Secretary, this week, with executives expected to warn that punishments for missing EV sales targets are putting jobs and investment in Britain at risk.

Despite complaints that the targets are forcing major brands into "unsustainable" levels of discounting, charging providers are urging ministers to stick with the policy.

"Our business plans bake some of those [adoption forecasts] in," Mr Williamson said. "Both the charging industry and the automotive industry are looking for certainty.

"I think the ZEV mandate provides that, and we're really happy the Government is sticking to its guns - we think that's absolutely fundamental to the adoption of EVs [3].

Advertisement Advertisement

"Any other incentives on the vehicle purchase side, from our point of view, would also be welcome."

Mr Williamson said the biggest issue for public charging providers remains what is known as the "driveway divide"[4] - the massive difference in costs that drivers face to charge from public points compared to at home.

Differing rates of VAT mean the levy on home electricity is just 5pc compared to a 20pc rate on public charging. This can easily amount to a difference of as much as GBP20 when fully charging an EV.

Charging groups and companies such as Gridserve want Rachel Reeves, the Chancellor, to slash the rate for public charging to make it equal.

Advertisement Advertisement

"The fact that people are getting charged significantly more on public charging than they are at home just seems unfair to those that don't have the opportunity to charge at home," Mr Williamson said.

Changing the VAT rate would be an expensive choice for Ms Reeves at a time when public spending is tight already. But it would "go with the overall strategy of decarbonisation of transport", he argued.

He added: "I think cheaper cars will make a big difference to that too."

In future, Gridserve may also begin to offer customers cheaper rates for coming to charge at less busy times.

For now, however, expansion remains the watchword.

Advertisement Advertisement

"Our plan is to get ahead of the curve and make sure we can both expand our sites like Exeter and introduce new sites, for example, new forecourts," Mr Williamson adds.

"With that combination, I'm really optimistic - I think this industry is back on the way up."

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism.

Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.[5]

References

^ to put up with long waits (www.telegraph.co.uk)
^ add 100 miles to an EV's range in just 10 minutes (www.telegraph.co.uk)
^ the adoption of EVs (www.telegraph.co.uk)
^ the "driveway divide" (www.telegraph.co.uk)
^ Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism.

Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. (secure.telegraph.co.uk)