UK to require charging points for electric cars at petrol stations

Several months ago, rumours emerged that the British government was developing a plan to reduce pollution levels in the country. Now, the UK authorities have announced one of the measures of the project, under which petrol stations on main roads and motorways will be required to install charging points for electric cars.

The well-known oil company Shell, which owns one of the largest charging networks in Europe, has been one of the first companies to install electric car chargers at its petrol stations. Other major firms have also confirmed their intention to install charging points at service stations, due to the fall in petrol demand and the rise in electric cars.

Some statistics have shown that at least 30% of Britons do not have space to install a charging point at home, so this measure will help drivers access an electric car without needing their own charger.

According to Adrian Pike, chairman of InstaVolt (one of the largest installers of charging points in the UK), the company supports any initiative that encourages electric cars. “Considering that a large percentage of the population cannot charge an electric car at home, it has never been more important to create easily accessible public infrastructure. This news will help foster greater acceptance of electric vehicles,” Pike said. Last May, the installer reached an agreement with ChargePoint to install around 200 chargers on British roads.

This measure will help expand the charging network in the UK, which already has 11,500 stations. According to a recent study carried out by Nissan, by 2020 the UK will have more public charging stations for electric vehicles than petrol stations.