Record number of EV chargers installed in 2022

However, as the government encourages consumers to switch to electric vehicles (EV), amid the looming ban on pure petrol and diesel cars in 2030, it has seen EV sales increase 38% in a year compared to charging point installations only increasing 30%, leading to fears of consumer frustration and a reluctance to make the switch to electric.

Justin Godfrey-Cass, Head of Transport Solutions at Wireless Logic commented on the challenges the government faces in rolling out chargers: “Despite the government’s commitment to installing EV charging points, unfortunately, the wider rollout has been hampered by planning constraints, cost of installation, need for access, and the need for resilient and highly secure two-way connectivity in locations where wired infrastructure isn’t always readily available. If the government wants to make it a viable option for consumers to use electrical vehicles, they must ensure that charging points meet the demands of electric vehicle sales.

“First and foremost, new charging points must meet the needs of the consumer. EV users expect a charge point to be fully operational at all times, keep their data secure, an bill them correctly, this will generate customer loyalty, repeat visits, and hopefully new customers. To achieve this, equipment managers and charge point operators (CPOs) need to ensure secure, resilient, and reliable connectivity that allows them to monitor charging points effectively remotely.

“If something goes wrong with an EV charging point, operators need to know immediately, in order to avoid revenue loss and/or reputational damage. As the EV charge point rollout begins to take form, they will ultimately represent critical national infrastructure to the public and businesses, so the importance of having secure connectivity cannot be overlooked. By deploying a highly resilient and secure charging solution, CPOs can provide a much more seamless and trusted charging experience for the customer; everything from booking a charging time to providing WiFi hotspots and digital signage whilst you wait. The government and construction companies must make this top-priority.”