As the UK’s electric vehicle charging network grows, industry and government need to collaborate closely to avoid black spots leaving users behind. That was the message from the BVRLA as part of its annual Parliamentary Reception, which announced the association’s key asks from the Bon VoyCharge campaign.
Launched this summer with support from the Department for Transport and the Future of Roads Minister, the Bon VoyCharge campaign seeks to improve charging solutions across the UK’s tourism and leisure sectors, where EV drivers are currently underserved. Having built momentum in recent months, the BVRLA launched the next phase of the campaign in the House of Commons, with asks of government built around three key priorities.
- Strategic Vision: Destination charging needs careful consideration. Specifically, industry needs government to bring stakeholders together to help plug infrastructure gaps. The most pressing of these gaps is airports. A national airport electrification strategy is required, with input from airports, rental operators and the charging sector.
- Targeted Grants: To strengthen the commercial case for installing infrastructure and enhance the network. This should extend to support for small accommodation providers and those requiring grid upgrades.
- Tactical Tax Relief: Put incentives in the right places to encourage the deployment and usage of destination charging locations. Business rate relief to those installing chargepoints will improve availability, while an EV rental voucher scheme would ensure utilisation.
Speaking in the House of Commons, Lakshmi Moorthy, BVRLA Chairperson and MD of Arval UK, said: “New EV registrations continue to increase but the transition only succeeds when all users have a solution that works for them, and this includes ensuring that consumers can charge confidently where and when they find it convenient to do so. Destination charging makes electric vehicles a viable option for more drivers, including the millions of inbound tourists each year that rely on the rental network.
“There are great examples in place at hotels and leisure locations up and down the county. Now we need government and industry to work together to see that success replicated in more destinations.”
The Westminster event marked the second parliamentary engagement for the Bon VoyCharge campaign so far this month, following a roundtable in Holyrood, Edinburgh last week. There, the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, met with senior representatives from the rental sector, alongside Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) from multiple political parties.
The productive session explored the importance of destination charging in providing affordable, reliable and accessible infrastructure, as well as the roles of local authorities and the charging sector in rolling out a successful network.
In addition to further MP meetings at key destinations in their constituencies, the BVRLA will also have an active presence as part of the political Party Conferences for Labour, Conservative and the Liberal Democrats later this month. There, the three key priorities will be presented to decision makers and sector representatives.
The Bon VoyCharge campaign is a collaboration between the BVRLA, Autotrader, Charge UK, EVA England, UK Hospitality, UK Inbound, and Zapmap, supported by rental companies Arnold Clark, Drivalia, Europcar, and Hertz.
Further information about the campaign is available via BonVoyCharge.co.uk.
Images from the Westminster reception can be accessed via the BVRLA Flickr account.
