Issues with accessibility of the public charging infrastructure are particularly prevalent for Motability Scheme customers, and according to research carried out by Motability Operations, around 50% of Scheme customers do not have access to off-street parking. These customers will therefore be relying on the public network to charge their vehicles when they switch to electric.
With Scheme customers accounting for one in every 10 new cars registered in the UK, disabled people could be left behind when the country transitions to electric if action isn’t taken to improve the network soon.
This jargon-free guide to all things electric has been designed to ease concerns over moving to electric, the ‘Beginner’s Guide’ helps to bust some commonly-held myths, so disabled people can feel more confident getting behind the wheel of an electric car.
Motability Operations chief executive, Andrew Miller commented:
“The Motability Scheme enables freedom and independence every day for over 650,000 customers across the UK. As we work towards the Government’s target date of 2030 and transition our fleet to electric vehicles, our teams are working hard to remove many of the barriers to electric motoring for our customers.
“Here at Motability Operations, we are seeing a big increase in applications for electric vehicles on the Motability Scheme, but we know these aren’t accessible for everyone right now and we’re determined to make sure that our customers feel supported and confident, when they decide that an EV is right for them.
“We’re proud to be collaborating with Electrifying to share this guide, and we hope it’s a useful tool for everyone when they are thinking about moving to electric.”
Founder and CEO of Electrifying.com Ginny Buckley said:
“We know that there are over 34,000 existing charging points in the UK, many of which are inaccessible to disabled people now. This is why we need network operators to consider accessibility across their existing infrastructure along with looking to the future of their networks.
“Sadly insufficient charging infrastructure is not the only barrier to electric vehicles for people with disabilities; cost is also a huge factor. When it comes to public charging, we’ve already seen some alarming price hikes.
“Today, over 650,000 disabled people and their families use the Motability Scheme - this is a huge section of the car market. Over half of these customers will be relying on the public network to charge, so we can see how many people with disabilities may soon be priced out of the market if we don’t work together to make public charging more affordable.”
