Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether he has made an assessment of the (a) adequacy and (b) efficiency of the speed of existing electric vehicle charge points.

The Government recognises the importance of having a comprehensive electric vehicle charging network, one which is reliable and suitable for all electric vehicles.

To date, Government and industry have supported the installation of over 32,900 publicly available charging devices including more than 6,100 rapid devices – one of the largest networks in Europe. We expect a comprehensive national charging infrastructure network will include a mix of charging speeds and technologies, depending on the needs of different locations and users. In March, the government committed to mandating a 99% reliability metric across the rapid charging network.

Rapid charging will be crucial for long distance journeys. Government has already committed to support enough new electrical capacity to deliver 6,000 ultra-rapid charge points along motorways and major A-roads by 2035.

For local charging, locally led planning is crucial to ensure the diverse needs of different areas are appropriately considered. Our research shows drivers without off-street parking have varied preferences when it comes to EV charging. Charging speed is important, but proximity to home is a critical factor for many people. The £450 million Local EV Infrastructure Fund will help enable strategic local provision of public EV infrastructure ahead of need to promote a more equitable EV charging experience for those without off-street parking.