Nearly 70% of electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) vehicle owners who have used the UK’s public charging network have said they are unhappy with it.
A new survey by consumer champions Which? found that a quarter (25%) said cost is the primary reason they have stopped using public charge points.
Nearly three-quarters (73%) of the over 1,000 respondents said they have experienced a faulty public charger at least once over the last year, while 37% said it was difficult to find a working charger at all.
Sue Davies, Which? head of Consumer Protection Policy, said: ‘We know that people want to make more sustainable choices and switch to an electric vehicle, but many drivers have a lack of confidence in the public charging infrastructure, and this also risks alienating people who aren’t able to charge their EVs at home.
‘It is positive that the Government passed new rules that should see improvements in consumers' experiences of the public charging network. The government and chargepoint operators must continue working together to ensure the UK’s charging infrastructure is up to scratch. Charging must be easy and reliable to support more people to make the move to an electric car.’
