Electric car owners in rural areas at risk of being ‘left behind’ warns expert

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Electric car owners in rural areas outside of major cities could get “left behind” with the transition to EVs, according to a leading expert

Toddington Harper, CEO at EV specialists GRIDSERVE admits that rural areas may not see the same level of investment in charging bays as inner city areas which could see some locations forgotten about.

The news could be a blow for motorists hoping to join the EV revolution who live away from major hubs.

It comes as Department for Transport data shows many of the areas of the UK’s fewest charging bays are in remote areas away from major towns and cities.

Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Harper said: “If the industry focuses solely on the busiest sites to address immediate demand, there is a risk that rural areas get left behind.

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“These locations would be ideal areas to expand initiatives like the RCF (rapid charging fund) where sites may not be currently commercially viable.

“The good news in the short term is that homes in rural areas are more likely to have off-street parking and can benefit from home chargers, where the majority of EV charging in the UK is done.”

Data from the DfT shows that Castle Point, a small borough in South Essex, has the fewest charging bays on the mainland with just three devices.

Melton in Leicestershire has just nine charging bays while Fenland in East Anglia has just 10 plugs.

Staffordshire Moorlands has 12 electric stations while North Kesetven in Sleaford has 16 devices.

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The Forest of Dean in Gloucestershire has 17 plugs followed by North East Derbyshire and Rutland which both have 18.

ZapMap also shows a geographical divide with the North East accounting for 3.3 percent of devices in the county with 1,489 bays.

In comparison, London has almost a third of all bays nationwide with over 14,000 plugs.

When pushed on how many bays were needed to enable a successful transition Harper insisted a new approach was needed.

Harper added: “We believe that creating the best EV charging experience for UK drivers is achieved by focusing on having the right number of the most appropriate type of chargers in each location, rather than a single total number of chargers statistic, as there are many different types of chargers and charging locations.”

He stressed motorway service areas needed large numbers of high-power plugs which could top-up cars in just 20 minutes.

However, he stressed retail parks and supermarkets were ideal locations to install medium power plugs designed for a sixty-minute charge.

Harper commented: ”The idea of specific targets based on single numbers needs to evolve so that we can best deliver to the needs of EV drivers at each location.”

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