Cambridgeshire project boosting public EV chargers in the area

EV Chargers for Cambridgeshire to Reduce Significant Barriers

A new project is being developed to help boost the number of public EV chargers in South Cambridgeshire. Parish councils and community organisations in the region can apply for grant funds to install new charging stations.

South Cambridgeshire District Council is considering the initiative as a means to encourage people to transition to electric vehicles. The district council pledged to lower net greenhouse gas emissions in the district by 2050 in a recommendation to the Grants Advisory Committee.

The Shift From Motor to Electric Vehicles

One of the most significant activities to reach the UK's Net Zero aim will be the complete shift to electric cars (EVs). The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has proposed for all modern light cars produced by 2032 to be entirely battery-electric, including passenger cars, taxis, trucks, motorcycles, and mopeds. To achieve Net Zero, all vehicles, including heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), have to be free of fossil fuels by 2050.

To accomplish this, the UK government and industry must enact a variety of policy and market mechanisms, especially for passenger vehicles and utility vehicles, while also tackling broader carbon pollution through reduced fuel usage and the transition to electric, hydrogen, or 'wiring' of heavy-duty vehicles. While the procedures required to cut overall transportation emissions are complicated, the route to a complete transition to electrical passenger cars is clear and relatively simple.

Transport is currently the UK economy's top polluting sector, accounting for 22% of total GHG emissions, 113 MtCO2e in 2019. Cars account for 13% of UK GHG emissions, vans 4%, and HGVs 4%. Immediate action is needed to reduce transportation emissions, which have remained mostly flat since 1990. Vehicles have gotten more fuel-efficient, but this has been countered by increased travel demand. To fulfil the Sixth Carbon Budget3, which puts a limit on UK emissions in the mid-2030s in order to remain on pace to attain Net Zero by 2050, emissions from transportation – including passenger cars – will need to be lowered by more than 70%.

Impediment to the Adoption of EV Vehicles

Consumers regard a lack of efficient charging facilities as the third most significant obstacle to EV purchasing, after price and driving range. According to McKinsey's 2016 EV consumer study of purchasers, in China, Germany, and the United States interested in battery-powered EVs. With EV prices falling and ranges increasing, charging may soon become the most significant hurdle.

Something similar was stated in the report submitted by the Grant Advisory Committee. According to the research, a fundamental hurdle to the adoption of EVs is the absence, or perceived lack, of sufficient EV charging infrastructure. This is especially problematic in rural regions, where demand is less concentrated than in metropolitan areas, making EV charging sites less financially appealing.

If the proposal is adopted, parish and town councils and community building operators would be allowed to apply to the district council for funds of up to £5,000. A council worker stated that £25,000 was already set aside for the program and that if it were successful, further funds would be available in future years.

Councillor John Williams called the plan a great idea. People frequently forget about EV charging stations in communities because they feel they are largely for visitors, he said. In fact, many individuals who live in villages do not have driveways and are unable to charge their vehicles at home.

As a result, I regard these charging stations as very significant to folks who live in houses where they cannot charge their car since it allows them to charge their vehicle, not just tourists. I hope parish councils keep this in mind while considering such a plan, stated Councillor Peter Sandford. 

The council worker stated that a few parish councils were "well on their way" to putting charge points but were "quite conscious" that assistance was required to help parish councils comprehend the process. She stated that the first webinar had already taken place and that another session was being planned. The committee unanimously decided to propose to the Lead Cabinet Member for Finance that the new grant system be established.

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