The National Infrastructure Commission (NIC) is launching a new EV charging awareness campaign, encouraging industry to get behind its call for a national rapid charging network.
The ‘Charge Up Britain’ campaign aims to increase awareness of the need for a national network of rapid chargers, supported by government, a recommendation the NIC issued in its National Infrastructure Assessment last year.
The assessment found that of 145 urban areas in Britain with populations above 50,000, 52 were not served by a rapid charger, a gap that the NIC is campaigning to be plugged.
‘Charge Up Britain’ is most likely to take place over the summer, ahead of the government’s Spending Review and the publication of its National Infrastructure Strategy.
The campaign will highlight the need for such a network in the media, online and with stakeholders. It aims to build a ‘coalition’ of interested parties and encourage those involved in the decarbonisation of transport to get behind its recommendations.
The recommendation is similar to one made by a collection of energy giants in May, which issued a letter to the government asking it to get behind a bid to establish a national ultra-rapid charging network.
The creation of a national charging network, whether ultra-rapid or not, is a potential solution to range anxiety and could significantly increase the speed of uptake, the NIC says.
In a video announcing the campaign, Bridget Rosewell, commissioner at the NIC, said: “We want the government to take decisive action and commit to rolling out a truly national and visible network of charging points for electric vehicles right across the country.
“Drivers will only have the confidence to go electric if they know they’ll be able to reach their destination, so this is absolutely vital.”
