UK needs better charging [Automotive Charging Infrastructure]

Last december, the UK government announced that it will reduce the cost of roadside charging for electric-powered cars. Pricing will remain commercially driven, ministers said, but within a more reasonable boundary and common standards. Existing costs, up to £7.50 for half an hour's use of a public rapid-charging point, mean that electric cars can be almost as expensive to run as some diesel cars. This, the government believes, is putting off prospective buyers and is a major reason why the Department for Transport had to admit last year that the UK was only likely to achieve half of the national target, that 9 per cent of cars on UK roads would be electric by 2020. This failure would have a knock-on effect on efforts to reduce carbon emissions and air pollution and meet climate change targets.