Less than a third (31%) of the wider UK public would be willing to walk more than 10 minutes home from a public electric vehicle (EV) charger.
That’s one of the key findings from the second edition of the EV Transition Tracker, produced by Motability Operations, the company that runs the Motability Scheme, connecting disabled drivers to freedom and independence.
Highlighting how gaps in local infrastructure could be discouraging many from switching to EVs, the latest report revealed that a fifth (20%) of people wouldn’t be willing to walk more than 5 minutes to access a charger.
EV drivers avoiding the public network
New data from Field Dynamics – in partnership with Zapmap - has found that the average walk-time to a public charger for UK households is 11 minutes and 56 seconds. However, London is significantly ahead, with the average walking time falling to just over 3 minutes and 7 seconds.
The lack of nearby charging outside of London is contributing to low confidence in the network, particularly for people with disabilities.
When asked about getting back from a public chargepoint, almost 4 in 10 (37%) disabled customer surveyed and over 1 in 10 (12%) UK adults said they would not consider using the public charging network at all.
Similarly, when asked about the availability of chargers, confidence was low. Just 12% of disabled drivers on the Scheme and 28% of the UK public said there are enough public chargers near where they live for people to easily find one when needed.
Even among EV drivers, who typically feel more positive about the network, only half (51%) believed there to be enough public chargers across the country. That figure fell to just 24% among EV drivers on the Motability Scheme, showing a clear disconnect between the UK’s infrastructure rollout and the real-world needs of drivers with additional mobility requirements.
Vanessa S from Derby and EV driver on the Motability Scheme, said: “While I see benefits to driving an EV, I struggle with the public network. Not only is it difficult to find chargers, as a disabled person you also have to consider whether the bays will be big enough, cables too heavy, or facilities too far away. I avoid using it.”
Andrew Miller, CEO at Motability Operations, said: “Too many drivers don’t trust that they’ll be able to charge easily, locally or reliably. If we’re serious about meeting the 2030 ban on petrol and diesel sales, chargepoints need to be where people live, easy to use, and designed with everyone in mind. Until this happens, we risk leaving thousands of drivers behind.”
Craig Stephenson, Managing Director at Field Dynamics, said: “The UK has made real progress in expanding its charging network, helping more drivers feel confident about moving to EVs. Field Dynamics’ analysis shows, however, that London still dominates infrastructure provision. To enable a swift and fair transition, investment must also prioritise other regions, including rural areas, so we can build a nationwide network that supports every driver, wherever they live or travel.”
To help address the lack of confidence in nearby, accessible public chargers, Motability Operations is working to provide Scheme customers with access to an EV Journey Planner. A digital tool that helps drivers understand the range of their EVs and plan routes around available chargepoints - the planner will help to ensure that all drivers can plot EV journeys that work for them with greater confidence.
