(Bloomberg) — Carmakers in the U.K. are calling for the creation of an independent regulator to oversee the country’s electric-vehicle infrastructure push amid concerns that long lines at charging stations will put off buyers.
The new body would enforce standards and monitor price levels, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said Wednesday.
The group also seeks binding targets to ensure that enough public chargers are built across the country.
Manufacturers including Stellantis NV, Bentley Motors Ltd. and Aston Martin Lagonda Global Holdings Plc have announced plans to electrify their lineups in response to the U.K.’s decision to ban sales of new combustion-engine cars from 2030.
Yet while EV penetration in the U.K.
more than tripled between 2019 and 2021, charging points only increased 70%, the SMMT said. The group expects pressure on infrastructure to rise in the coming years as more people trade in their gasoline and diesel cars for battery-powered models.
READ MORE: Europe Will Need 65 Million Electric Vehicle Chargers by 2035
“With clear, equivalent targets and support for operators and local authorities that match consumer needs, government can ensure the U.K.
has a chargepoint network that makes electric mobility a reality for all,” SMMT Chief Executive Officer Mike Hawes said in a statement.
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