To help close the gap, the rates for EV electricity could be reduced through regulation or enticements to utilities. The UK should reconsider the value-added tax (VAT), as home electricity has a VAT of 5 percent, while electricity sold at charging points has a VAT of 20 percent.
There are other solutions. Bonsu calls for more rapid chargers in communities, rather than just gas stations, while Hall suggests EV points be required in all new buildings or those undergoing major renovations, be they shops, homes, or office blocks. Hall warns against assuming only white-collar workers want chargers, which should be installed at industrial parks, retail locations, and anywhere else people work. “Although this will take a while to have an impact, it can help to ensure that once electric vehicles make up the majority of the fleet, far more drivers will have access to affordable, convenient charging,” Hall says.
But there’s more to the problem than availability of infrastructure—charging networks are too complicated, adding extra burdens beyond the financial. There are dozens of suppliers, each with their own payment app, subscription systems, and prices, not to mention connection fees and other add-on costs and different chargers. “The user experience that comes with using public chargers versus a home charger is night and day,” says Patrick Reich, the CEO and cofounder of charging aggregation and payment app Bonnet.
Another complaint is reliability: Drivers show up to charging points to find they’re in use, out of service, or not compatible with their car. “People are not so worried about range anymore, but they do have charger anxiety—when they turn up to charge, they want to be confident that it’s working and available for use,” says Melanie Shufflebotham, COO and cofounder of Zap-Map.
Apps like Bonnet and Zap-Map help by including reliability and availability data, as well as aggregating payments for as many networks as possible, but not all operators make it easy. “While we have 70 percent of charge points on the map with live data, there are still some networks who don’t want to share their market—that’s not great for the market,” says Shufflebotham.
All of this adds up to people without off-street parking—those living in cities and on lower incomes—not only facing higher costs than their suburban, often wealthier counterparts, but spending time, effort, and anxiety to keep their EV battery charged. And that means they’re less likely to make the switch to electric, leaving them paying more and breathing more polluted air. “If we want more people to switch to an EV, particularly those who cannot charge from home, charging must be easy, accessible, and affordable,” says Natalie Hitchins, head of home products and services at Which.
In addition to reducing charging network chaos, EV prices, and rates for away-from-home charging, another solution involves funding mass transit systems that benefit everyone. EVs are necessary for many people, as cars can’t yet be fully replaced, says Hall, but they’re just one piece of the puzzle. “Alternatives to car ownership, including walking, biking, and public transport, have great benefits in terms of climate, air pollution, safety, and social inclusion,” Hall says. “Given the scale of the climate crisis, we will need a number of solutions—electric vehicles are a part, but certainly not all, of the solution.”
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Source: Wired
