No hot food? No road sign! EV charging hubs told to up their game

New rules surrounding EV charging hub signage have been outlined to improve public awareness of the UK’s electric car charging network. However, chargepoint operators have blasted the updated regulations as a “major missed opportunity”, with several major charging hubs not qualifying for signage given they don’t offer hot food and/or parking for those not using the facilities.

The Government’s new set of proposed guidelines insist that all EV charging sites with 12 or more ultra-rapid chargers must meet certain criteria if they are to receive signage on the UK’s strategic road network (SRN) – aka, motorways and major A-roads.

Perhaps the most controversial of these requirements is the necessity to ensure that “hot drinks and cooked hot food [is] available for purchase during all opening hours for consumption on the premises”. This, however, excludes sites situated next to fast food outlets – the hub itself needs to be serving food – meaning many won’t qualify for signage, despite there being provisions nearby.

CEO of Gridserve, Daniel Kunkel, told Auto Express: “While we welcome the Government's efforts to support EV signage, the changes fall short of what is needed. The new requirements will benefit very few sites, and although the approval process for A-road signage has improved, most eligible locations would have qualified under the previous system anyway.”

If they wish to receive signage on a nearby A-road, operators of EV hubs must also provide up to 10 parking spaces for those not wishing to charge, Wi-Fi (crucial for logging into charging apps for favourable rates), mobile device charging ports and a free-to-use emergency telephone. They must also be within a mile of the aforementioned SRN.

“The major missed opportunity lies with motorway signage. Our Stevenage Electric Forecourt at junction 7 on the A1(M) is a prime example,” Kunkel continued. “Despite being a state-of-the-art facility with high-powered charging, [a] driver lounge, retail and food facilities, it doesn't qualify for motorway signage.” One of the many reasons for this is because, to have a sign on a motorway, an EV charging hub must also provide fuel for internal combustion cars, which would effectively turn it into a traditional service station.

Ultimately, the automotive industry perceives public awareness of EV charging infrastructure as one of the key elements of building confidence surrounding the transition to electric cars. CEO of chargepoint operator trade body Charge UK, Vicky Read, explained that the industry is: “in discussion with the Department for Transport on behalf of members with regards to increasing the flexibility in the criteria for EV charging hub signage. This is a real opportunity to not only help current EV drivers but build others' confidence in switching to electric as the infrastructure becomes more visible. We are optimistic that we will start to see this shift happening soon."

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