Surge in public charging points needed to boost Nottinghamshire's EV network

‘Supercharging the Midlands’, a report authored by the sub-national transport body, suggests that electric vehicle use in Nottingham and surrounding areas will increase by 2,447% by the end of the decade, and that installation of public EV charging points must be six times as fast to support growing demand.

Research reveals that a lack of public charging points is a concern for over half of motorists and is a factor that puts them off switching to an EV, with anxiety about battery range also an issue for 53 per cent of respondents.

Despite these concerns, 75% of those questioned, with access to a petrol/diesel vehicle, would consider buying an EV next.

Maria Machancoses, chief executive of Midlands Connect, said: “We’re in the grip of a climate emergency, and when it comes to installing EV charging points, Nottinghamshire cannot fall behind.

"We know that being worried about not being able to charge when needed is a major factor that puts many off making their next car electric; this needs to change.

“Local Authorities across the Midlands are doing a great job to roll out charging points, but they cannot do this alone.

"Government, the automotive industry and private suppliers must all play a part in speeding up the roll out and ensuring councils have the support they need.”

Estimates suggest that by 2030, the Midlands could be home to over 1.7million EVs, with over 1 in 4 vehicles being electric – at the moment less than one in one hundred vehicles is an EV.

To support this growing number, 39,410 new public EV charging points must be installed across the Midlands by the end of the decade.

This means installing 11 every day, 76 per week, and 3,491 per year until the end of 2030 – over six times the current rate.

While carbon emissions in the energy industry have fallen by 63% between 1990 and 2019, the transport sector has seen a fall in emissions of just 5% in the same period.

The UK’s carbon emissions must fall by 100% (based on 1990 levels) by 2050 to meet climate targets.

A message from the editor:

Thank you for reading this article on our website – why not support your Chad by becoming a digital subscriber.

You will see 70 per cent fewer ads on stories, meaning faster load times and an overall enhanced user experience.

Click here to subscribe.