Government funding for electric car charging is to be doubled

Charging an electric car must be as easy as plugging in a smartphone in order to persuade motorists to buy one, the Transport Secretary said.

Grant Shapps – who will be getting his own electric car from Tesla this week – has doubled Government funding for on-street electric charge points.

The extra £2.5million will allow the installation of more than 1,000 additional charge points on residential roads.

These can be built into existing structures such as lamp posts to provide access near the homes of electric car owners who do not have off-street parking.

Mr Shapps vowed to help ‘super-charge the zero emission revolution’ and said drivers should ‘feel confident about the availability of charge points near their homes’.

Industry experts have warned that demand for electric cars will be restricted unless there are significant improvements to the charging infrastructure.

Jack Cousens of the AA said: ‘The success of the UK’s electric vehicle revolution hinges on access to charging infrastructure and many neighbourhoods so far feel disconnected. This announcement is welcome news but there is still a long way to go.’

Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders shows 14,200 new electric cars were bought during the first seven months of the year, up 71 per cent on the same period in 2018. But only one in 500 cars on the road is fully electric.

Ministers have pledged to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2040 in a bid to crack down on air pollution.