Plans of great ambition have been unveiled to expedite the deployment of public electric vehicle charging stations, encompassing grants for educational institutions and other public facilities, funding for local councils, and new objectives for the total number of charging points.
The Government initiative includes a £381m Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund allocated to local authorities nationwide, along with grants of up to £2500 per unit for public schools to facilitate the establishment of charging sites.
The strategies are designed to facilitate a countrywide shift towards the usage of electric vehicles and coincide with recent legislation enforcing transparent pricing at charging stations. This development follows the installation of over 53,000 charging points across the UK.
Anthony Browne MP, the Minister for Technology and Decarbonisation, stated: “This latest set of measures will mean EV owners everywhere will benefit. This Government has already spent over £2bn to ensure a smooth switch to EVs, and we’re committed to supporting drivers as we transition towards net zero.”
The automotive sector has witnessed robust adoption of EVs, with fully electric vehicles accounting for 16% of total market sales in 2023, the adoption is expected to continue as the country further transitions to electric vehicles.
However, the motorcycle market presents a starkly contrasting narrative. Data released by the MCIA indicates that sales of electric bikes constituted a mere 3.6% of the market in 2023, reflecting a 38% decrease in units sold compared to 2022. The recent bankruptcy of Cake Motorcycles has been disappointing news for the industry.
It appears that the majority of motorcyclists remain firmly attached to the internal combustion engine, with the demand for battery-powered bikes experiencing a net decline, despite increasing incentives to embrace the electric revolution.
When queried about the potential impact of this news on the sales of plug-in bike sales, MCIA CEO Tony Campbell said to MCN: “Infrastructure developments at this moment are largely irrelevant – investment is going towards trunk roads rather than the rural locations most pleasure riders venture to. The government needs to subsidise areas where motorcyclists congregate if they want to instigate change.” It is understandable to that investment will go to the areas with the largest need and traffic to begin with and it is also a valid point that to be a viable option for motorcyclists across the country charging access will be required where ever they venture; just like fuel stations.
