FairCharge, an electric vehicle (EV) campaign group, has worked with the RAC to introduce the UK’s first public charging charter for electric vehicles. The purpose of this letter is to improve the EV charging experience and accelerate the adoption of EVs across the country. The aim is to introduce world-class standards to the UK EV charging sector, with the hope that these standards will become the minimum requirements for government, local authorities, landowners and charge point operators.
Key recommendations in the letter include a 99 percent reliability guarantee for fast chargers, clear information for consumers about working and non-working chargers, a 48-hour repair target, and visible signs showing the location of chargers. Rapids on main roads and highways. In addition, charging station operators are encouraged to ensure that the price per kilowatt hour (kWh) is always clearly visible.
In addition, the letter emphasizes the importance of ensuring that chargers are located in safe, well-lit areas and are accessible to all drivers, regardless of physical ability. Parking operators and local governments are urged to clearly define the conditions for parking EVs and ensure that parking fees do not become a source of revenue while charging.
A key focus of the letter is to make the freight payment process “hassle-free,” enabling contactless bank and debit card payments without the need to download special apps. In addition, digital receipts should be readily available that clearly show which value-added tax (VAT) items are incurred.
FairCharge and the RAC are also committed to reducing VAT on public charges from 20% to 5%. They argue that this reduction would benefit consumers who rely on public chargers, particularly those with no drive-through capability, while imposing a relatively low cost on the Treasury.
The letter was supported by trade organization Recharge UK and EV disability champion ChargeSafe. FairCharge has sent a letter to the new Minister for Energy Security and Net Zero, Claire Coutinho, urging her to support the campaign.
Quentin Willson, founder of FairCharge, said the letter was developed after extensive discussions with hundreds of EV drivers and represents their wish list for an exceptional public charging network. He stresses the importance of listening to experienced EV drivers in order to build a charging infrastructure that meets the requirements of the future.
RAC spokesman Rod Dennis emphasized the importance of not only increasing the number of public chargers but also ensuring their quality. Drivers can get frustrated when chargers don’t work or when they can’t figure out the cost before plugging them in. The letter addresses these issues and aims to create an electric car charging experience that puts the needs of drivers first.
This letter follows recent calls from Recharge UK, ChargeSafe and FairCharge to make accessible charging compulsory at all public charging stations for electric vehicles, following the introduction of the voluntary BSI standard last year.
