Electric vehicle (EV) owners in the UK have expressed frustration with long waiting times and high charging prices for their cars. A recent incident at Leigh Delamere service station on the M4 motorway highlighted the problems facing EV drivers, with one motorist having to wait in the rain for an hour and a half to charge his Volkswagen ID3. The station only has one functioning charging point, which causes a lot of delays and inconvenience. Similar complaints have been reported across the country about the lack of charging infrastructure and the high costs associated with charging.
The existing charging network is struggling to meet the growing demand for electric vehicle charging, leaving drivers frustrated and feeling cut off. A lack of charging points in local authority areas and unreliable charging services make it difficult for EV owners to rely on public charging facilities. Some drivers resort to installing expensive charging points in their homes to ensure reliable access to charging.
In addition, the cost of charging at UK service stations is much higher than elsewhere in Europe, which has led to accusations of fraud. These issues represent a major obstacle to the adoption of electric vehicles and an obstacle to the government’s plan to ban the sale of new gasoline and diesel vehicles from 2030. EV owners demanding immediate improvement of charging infrastructure and charging options.
