The Motability Scheme provides over 800,000 disabled people in the UK with a new car lease in exchange for their mobility allowance. Around half of Scheme customers would rely on the public charging network if they got an electric vehicle.
Responding to the RAC's press release about the high cost of public charging, Andrew Miller, chief executive of Motability Operations, which runs the Scheme, said:
Our customers are more typical of the UK driving population, compared to other EV drivers, and our customer insight shows that the biggest factor affecting their next choice of car is an improvement to the public charging network.
The affordability and accessibility of public charging is crucial if the transition to electric vehicles is to be successful. Together with industry, if we can make it work for our disabled customers, it will work for all UK drivers.
Motability Operations is the largest vehicle leasing company in the UK and delivers the Motability Scheme, where people receiving a qualifying disability allowance can choose an affordable and accessible vehicle. The Scheme is overseen by the Motability Foundation, who fund, support, research and innovate to help all disabled people make the journeys they choose.
The Motability Foundation is ensuring public EV chargepoints are accessible, addressing the needs of an estimated 2.7 million disabled drivers by 2035, half of whom may rely on public charging. In 2022, it partnered with the UK Government to co-sponsor BSI PAS 1899, a standard defining minimum accessibility for chargepoints. This standard was shaped by experts, disabled people, and industry stakeholders.
