Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, whether electric charging points for cars can also act as electric charging points for (a) cycles and scooters and (b) phones.

The Alternative Fuel Infrastructure Regulations specify the technical specifications that all publicly accessible changepoints must meet in the UK. Any vehicle type, from cars and vans, to L-category vehicles such as mopeds and motorbikes, may use these chargepoints if they have been built to the same technical specifications.

The Regulations specify that these chargepoints are designed for electric vehicles (EVs), defined as being ‘equipped with a powertrain containing at least one non-peripheral electric machine as energy convertor with an electric rechargeable energy storage system, which can be recharged externally’. While this does not include mobile phones, a phone could be charged while connected to the vehicle. EV chargepoints are designed for the use of EV cars and vans and are not compatible with e-scooters and bikes which can be charged using a three-pin plug.