Following news reports that fewer than 9,000 public EV chargers were installed in 2022, making the UK 20 years behind schedule, according to opposition leaders, David Hall, VP Power Systems at Schneider Electric UK & Ireland, commented:
“To make EVs the viable solution, it is integral we have the infrastructure in place so that consumers are incentivised to make the switch to electric. With this is the need to install EV chargers in vast quantities, evenly throughout the UK.
“As we push the pedal on a low carbon future, it’s up to utilities companies to become the driving force behind this transition to renewables, with the primary focus on innovation and infrastructure upgrades. EV uptake is set to increase electricity consumption by 40%, so we need to ensure that the right infrastructure is in place to manage this usage spike without any disruption on our electrical grids.
“Harnessing a smarter grid will help create network efficiencies and avoid pressures caused by the increase in electricity in a cost-effective and resilient way. With the ability to operate independently from larger grids to store and reserve energy, smart grids have the potential to enable seamless EV charging, with user contingencies, to develop a safe, efficient EV charging infrastructure in the UK.”
