House builders will be obliged to fit electric vehicle (EV) chargers in all new homes with access to a parking space under new rules being proposed by the government.
The amendments to existing building regulations are forecast to save nearly £700 million over the next 30 years or so through reduced retrofitting costs. They are expected to take effect in the first half of 2020.
Outlining the proposals in a new consultation, the Department for Transport said the chargers would be required to have a minimum power output of 7kW and be fitted with a universal socket that can charge all types of EV currently on the market.
According to its estimates, installing the chargers would add an average of £976 to the price of a new home. But this would be less than half the cost of retrofitting the chargers at an estimated average price of around £2,040.
Nevertheless, there would be an exemption for installations where the grid connection costs exceed £3,600.
The department has also proposed that all new non-residential buildings with more than ten parking spaces be required have at least one charger, as well as cable routes to allow for the installation of chargers in one in every five spaces. This stipulation would additionally apply to non-residential buildings undergoing a major renovation.
In line with the minimum requirements of the EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings directive, existing non-residential buildings with more than 20 parking spaces would likewise be obliged to have at least one EV charger from 2025 onwards.
The government said this last rule cannot be implemented through changes to building regulations, which only apply when work is being carried out, and would instead need to be introduced in separate legislation.
“This consultation proposes regulatory changes which will results in thousands more chargepoints across the UK, in homes and at key destinations, like new office blocks and supermarkets,” said transport secretary Chris Grayling and business and energy secretary Greg Clark in a joint ministerial foreword.
“The policies outlined will ensure new buildings are ready for the future. They represent the most ambitious regulatory package in the world for electric vehicle infrastructure and will help ensure the UK has one of the best electric vehicle infrastructure networks in the world.”
The deadline for responses is 7 October. You can read the full consultation here.