UK Proposes Equipping Every New Home for Electric-Car Charging

The U.K. has discussed ending sales of new gasoline and diesel cars by 2040, which means the country will need a lot of electric-car charging stations. So officials are proposing a requirement that all new homes be equipped for charging, reports Bloomberg. The proposal was part of Road to Zero, a report on climate-change related policies released Monday.

"It is our intention that all new homes, where appropriate, should have a charge point available," a government statement said. "We plan to consult as soon as possible on introducing a requirement for charge point infrastructure for new dwellings in England."

To help achieve that goal, the U.K. will reportedly establish a 400-million-pound ($531 million) fund for companies that manufacture and install charging stations. The government is also reportedly looking at integrating charging stations with newly-installed streetlights, as well as wireless-charging technology. A new Automated and Electric Vehicles bill will also give the government power to mandate installation of charging infrastructure at highway service stations.

Lack of charging stations is often cited as one of the major hindrances to electric cars. Focusing on home charging could be a a good way to address that. While many electric cars on sale today have relatively limited ranges, many have enough to cover a daily commute. That means many owners charge at home almost exclusively, mostly avoiding public charging stations. In the United States, California already has a law on its books requiring new buildings to be prepped for electric-car charging.

Robust charging infrastructure will be needed if the U.K. goes ahead with a plan to ban sales of new gasoline and diesel cars beginning in 2040. The plan, which does not include hybrids, puts the U.K. on the same path as several other European countries.

Source: thedrive