EV ready homes

With Electric Vehicle (EV) and Plug-In Hybrid Vehicle (PHEV) sales going from strength-to-strength, growing numbers of housing developments in the UK are featuring EV charging units – and new developments may soon have to do so by law. Kieron Alsop of Rolec EV explains more

With year-on-year sales up yet again for both EVs and PHEVs, it is clear motorists are increasingly turning to an electric future – a sharp contrast to huge decreases in diesel vehicle sales. The UK Government has pledged that by 2030, at least half of all new car sales, and up to 40 per cent of new van sales, will be PHEV or EV by 2030, as part of its ‘Road to Zero’ strategy. By 2040 it plans to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, and by 2050 it wants almost every car on the road to be zero emission.

A migration to EVs

The migration to electric vehicles is a global phenomenon, with a report issued by the International Energy Agency stating that the number of EVs on the world’s roads is likely to reach 13 million in the near future, with sales also expected to soar 24 per cent every year, on average, through to 2030. A recent survey confirmed that the UK needs to increase its EV charging network six-fold, and fast, to cope with the amount of EVs due to hit the nation’s roads. Both the UK Government and many of the world-leading vehicle manufacturers are investing heavily to promote the benefits of EVs, increasingly injecting billions of pounds to encourage the uptake of electric vehicles. A rolling programme of implementing EV charging networks in cities, towns and villages is also being embarked upon by local authorities, with many new build planning applications already stipulating mandatory EV charging considerations as part of planning approval. A good EV charging point, such as the Rolec WallPod, should be a versatile unit, designed to be compatible with all current PHEVs and EVs and offer smart charging options. Housing associations, developers and local authorities need to ensure their charger of choice can comply with, and cater for, EV charging requirements on home builds.

Getting on board

Rolec has vast experience manufacturing EV charging points for the housing sector. We recently supplied units for a Keepmoat Development in Doncaster featuring 600+ houses – all were fitted with an EV Ready Mode 2 charging unit, which also enables the end-user to easily upgrade to a Mode 3 EV fast charger at a later date, should they wish to. Rolec has also supplied EV charging points to Barrett Homes, Kier, Taylor Wimpey, Redrow Homes, Bloor Homes, Fairview Homes, Cala Homes, Elan Homes, Bellway Homes, Orbit Homes and Persimmon Homes for both existing properties and new builds. These major construction companies are just a few integrating EV charging points into their projects to help future-proof their new build developments in order to meet greener commitments and modern-day end user requirements.

Kieron Alsop is managing director of Rolec EV

The new rules

The Department for Transport has launched a consultation which could see a government requirement for all new-build homes with a parking space to be fitted with an electric vehicle (EV) charging unit. Record levels of ultra-low emission vehicles continue to hit the UK’s roads. The latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows year-on-year July sales figures for EVs almost tripled, while demand for hybrid electric cars also increased by 34 per cent. After supporting the installation of around 100,000 domestic EV charge points through grants, the Government is now also considering bringing in requirements that all new private EV chargers use smart technology – with an aim to encourage off-peak charging, thereby keeping costs down for consumers.