Experts have launched a new campaign to call for clear signage for electric car charging to help motorists adapt to the transition away from polluting vehicles.
A new coalition of key stakeholders in the EV charging sector has called on the Government to roll out consistent signage across motorways, A-roads and residential streets.
It argues that electric vehicles should be on an equal footing with petrol and diesel when it comes to national road sign regulations.
They argue that electric vehicle chargers should be as clearly signposted as petrol stations to help drivers have confidence that they are near a charging station.
TRENDING
Stories
Videos
Your Say
The industry leaders that are leading the charge to make EVs more visible across the country include InstaVolt, char.gy, Electric Vehicles UK and Octopus Electric Vehicles.
Data from InstaVolt last year found that over half of drivers look at roadside signs to find EV chargers, while nine in 10 say clear physical signage is important to them.
Experts argue that drivers would be more reassured to switch to an electric vehicle if they could clearly see where a charging station was.
While range anxiety is slowly becoming a non-issue, some drivers are still hesitant to transition, especially if they do not have access to a home charger.
Experts are calling on the Government to introduce new signage rules for electric vehicle chargers
|PA/SCRAP CAR COMPARISON
Delvin Lane, CEO of InstaVolt, said he welcomed the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles' call for evidence on EV signage, describing it as a "really positive step".
He continued, saying: "Right now, EV charging locations are treated very differently to petrol stations in the rules that govern road signs.
"That means thousands of high-quality public chargers are installed, operating, but not obviously signposted from key routes. If we want drivers to feel confident going electric, that has to change."
He confirmed that the companies would call on the Government, National Highways and local authorities to make it easier for councils to add EV charging signs to existing direction signs.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Electric vehicle campaigners have called for the signage to be 'clear and consistent'
| PAThe response to the call for evidence also includes greater provisions for on-street and residential charging to also be included on signage.
There are thousands of on-street and lamppost chargers across the UK already, but experts from char.gy argue that they are "hidden in plain sight".
The highlight that many drivers may live very closely to reliable public charging, but they may not be aware these chargers are near them due to a lack of signage.
CEO of char.gy, John Lewis, noted that the Government should improve signage to ensure drivers can find on-street and lamppost chargers, adding that they are "critical infrastructure".
There are currently 116,729 public EV charging devices across the UK
| PAThe electric vehicle charging company has already partnered with Brighton and Hove City Council, as well as the British Parking Association, to submit a proposed design in hopes of it becoming the national EV charging sign.
Mr Lewis highlighted that there should be a particular focus on "simple, instantly recognisable symbols" for EV charging.
This was echoed by Fiona Howarth, founder and director of Octopus Electric Vehicles, who added: "Households with driveways can cut petrol costs by up to 80 per cent by going electric. Now we need to make sure everyone can share those savings by clearly signposting low-cost kerbside charging.
"With pay-per-mile tax expected in two years, Government has a real opportunity to make charging simple, visible, and affordable on every street."