The United Kingdom will enforce updated standards for all public electric vehicle (EV) chargers starting from June 2025 to achieve standardisation and increase transparency. The significant updates include:
Mandatory Card Payment Options
The practice of needing to download various applications to charge your car has become obsolete. The installation of new public chargers requires the acceptance of standard debit and credit card payments. The existing charging infrastructure must incorporate card readers and contactless payment systems before December 2025.
The change brings significant advantages to drivers who manage multiple charging apps and accounts during their journeys. People who occasionally need to travel outside their normal charging range will find this system particularly beneficial.
Price Transparency Requirements
- Charging networks must now display:
- The pricing system uses kWh as its unit, rather than minutes or sessions.
- The system displays the estimated total cost to the user before the charging process begins.
- The system provides real-time updates on charging status.
- The system displays a complete cost breakdown after the charging process is finished.
Charging stations now provide complete billing transparency, eliminating sudden, unexpected fees and payment misunderstandings. Session fees and additional hidden costs will soon become a thing of the past.
Reliability Standards
The operators will face penalties if their charging stations fail to reach the minimum uptime requirements:
- The system requires 99% uptime availability for rapid charging stations that operate at 50 kW and above.
- Standard chargers need to achieve 95% uptime availability.
- The system allows fault reporting, which triggers a maximum 48-hour repair duration.
- Charging networks need to provide real-time status updates through mapping services, allowing users to check charger availability before visiting.
What This Means for Your Wallet
The new regulatory requirements will change all current pricing structures at charging stations.
Potential Price Increases
Network operators have begun notifying customers about slight rate increases due to necessary compliance expenses. Early indicators suggest:
- Major networks have reported that they will increase their electricity prices by 2-3p per kWh.
- Prices at smaller, independent charging locations may experience greater rate increases.
- Some charging stations charge different prices for using a card versus a payment application.
As these changes take place, we will revisit this article and keep you updated.
