U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has announced plans to enact legislation that will require new homes in England to have charging points for electric vehicles (EVs). Electric cars are becoming increasingly popular as the world tries to move away from gas guzzlers and transition to cleaner energy sources. The number of electric vehicles globally is understood to have surpassed ten million and is expected to rise significantly in the coming years.
With most countries cutting back on fossil fuels and investing in sustainable energy, electric vehicles like Teslas are increasingly becoming a popular choice. Automobiles are one of the significant sources of pollution globally, and electric vehicles help combat some of the worst environmental effects of modern lifestyles. However, even as the number of electric cars on roads continues to grow, charging stations are often hard to find, making electric vehicles impractical for road trips and long drives.
The U.K. is planning to make EV charging more readily available to citizens by planning to introduce regulation that would require all new homes and non-residential buildings in the country to have charging points for electric vehicles. In a speech at the annual conference of the Confederation of British Industry, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said that the new regulation is expected to add another 145,000 charging points each year. The rule will incorporate all office buildings and supermarkets and will go into effect in 2022. He said the new EVvcharging facilities would add to the 250,000 existing charging points already present in homes, office buildings and supermarkets across the U.K.
The Regulation Will Also Create New "Green Jobs"
Alongside new homes and commercial buildings, structures that are being renovated to include at least 10 parking spaces will also come under the new regulations. The government also announced plans to introduce easier ways to pay at EV charging stations, including fast and contactless payment options. The Prime Minister also expressed hope that the new rules will not only deliver thousands of charging points across the country, making EV charging as easy as refueling a traditional petrol or diesel car, but also create many new "green jobs" going forward.
The Prime Minister's announcement was a long time coming, with the country planning the new legislation for years. The original proposal was first reported in 2019 when the country was deliberating on how best to support its plans to make the complete transition away from gas guzzlers to EVs by 2030. The first concrete plans for the EV mandate were announced back in September when the Johnson government said it had finalized its decision to legislate that all new homes and commercial buildings in the country have an EV charging point by next year.