U.K. Bill Requires Charging Points at Gas Stations

The measure applies to motorway services and petrol stations, which would have to install electric car chargers.

June 23, 2017

LONDON – The United Kingdom highlighted its support for electric vehicles with a bill that mandates motorway services and petrol stations install charging points during the Queen’s Speech—the event at the State Opening of Parliament that outlines the government’s agenda for the coming two years, The Sun reports.

The requirement would help to position the United Kingdom as a “world leader in new industries.” The government also indicated its support of automatic, driverless cars.

The new laws mandate that motorway service areas and large gasoline retailers would need to make charge points available for electric vehicles. The measure also requires that the technology have a set of common technical and operational standards.

Around 100,000 electric vehicles have been sold in the country with assistance from a government plug-in car grant. The United Kingdom is the biggest electric car market in the European Union, with one in five electric vehicles sold in the E.U. last year was manufactured in the United Kingdom.

During this Parliament, the government has committed to shelling out £600 million in support of the ultra-low emissions market. In the fall, the government announced an additional £270 million to support electric vehicles.

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