Electric vehicle charging
Introduction
We have engaged with key stakeholders across Wales as we develop our strategy to create a network of EV charging points across Wales.
Well-being goals
Engagement
The Welsh Government has committed to investing £2m by 2020 to create a network of rapid charging points and enable longer distance travel by electric vehicles throughout Wales. We've been tasked to deliver this ambition and facilitate long distance journeys so that a charger is available at no less than 50-mile intervals across the Strategic Road Network and railway station car parks in Wales. In order to better understand the views of public bodies and the market, we worked with Arup to engage with key stakeholders.
Between October and January, we surveyed all 22 local authorities plus other large public sector landowners, followed up by three workshops across Wales. In January, we held a supplier workshop involving approximately 58 representatives of 44 organisations from across the EV charging supply chain. We then followed this up with one-to-one discussions which helped shape our preferred delivery path.
Outcomes
The exercises revealed the major barriers of the project to be funding and electricity grid capacity. The feedback also emphasised the need for more investment into EV infrastructure in order to stimulate the purchase of EVs as well as the need for electricity networks to be ‘future proofed’ for decarbonisation and the increase of EV charging points.
Significantly, the potential for a more strategic, coordinated approach (including knowledge sharing) was welcomed by all. The feedback from these exercises added value to the project and helped to shape the next stage of the project to develop the Wales-wide EV Strategy. We will continue to engage with stakeholders as we develop a procurement strategy and as we begin to deliver charging units.
The stakeholder events were a great success, with excellent participation by Welsh public sector landowners and a broad cross-section of the electric vehicle supply chain.
Steve Ward
Commercial Development Manager
