Over the next two years, the UK will adopt new regulations addressing the progression of the EV charging infrastructure and the overall consumer experience.
As an EV charger manufacturer, some considerations might need to be made regarding your products. Here we'll cover what this legislation update entails and how Fuuse can make any OCPP charger compliant with these latest changes.
What to expect
The focus of the legislation centres on enforcing driver ease-of-use at charge points, as well as setting a minimum standard for payment and maintaining clarity at the point of sale.
CONTACTLESS
Standardising contactless payment methods by 2024
All public charge points that are 8kW and above, as well as rapid charge points of 50kW and above, must accept contactless payments at either the individual charge point or at the charging site.
Apple Pay and Google Pay can be accepted alongside the required contactless bank card payment method. This will also apply to proprietary networks that open their charge points for public use, even if only during certain opening times. However, this regulation will not apply to public charge points that are open to the public free of charge.
Enable efficient EV charging payments by integrating with Payter and Alio contactless terminals.
Roaming
Enabling roaming providers by 2025
The Open Charge Point Interface (OCPI) protocol mandate is designed to facilitate automated roaming for EV drivers across different charging networks. Chargers enabled to accept payments from drivers from different charge card networks help bolster the EV charging infrastructure progression and improve the overall consumer experience.
CPOs are opening their chargers to more charge card networks with Fuuse Public. Read more.
99% Reliability
Improving the reliability of the charging network by 2024
To assure consumers will feel confident that a charger will work as expected, this legislation will begin enforcing rapid EV charging networks to maintain a minimum of 99% reliability. There are a lot of components in the charging process that could lead to charger downtime, but with efficient remote maintenance tools, CPOs can effectively monitor and quickly fix any faults that arise, maximising their charger uptime.
The Fuuse Platform offers remote maintenance services and much more. Explore Fuuse features.
Helpline
A free 24/7 helpline requirement expected by 2024
To improve the consumer experience, ease charge anxiety, and maximise charger uptime, all charging networks for public EV charge points will be required to have a free 24/7 helpline for drivers in case of issues while charging. The helpline also needs to be accessible and advertised at all charge points.
Fuuse offers comprehensive, top-quality customer service packages. Find out more.
OPEN DATA
Ensuring discoverability by 2024
The OCPI protocol also includes the expectation that public charger data must be made visible for EV drivers to easily find public charging. Opening the dynamic data of all public EV chargers ensures all public charging options are discoverable to consumers.
Fuuse Public allows CPOs to promote chargers to major navigation maps. Learn how.
PRICING METRIC
A single payment metric is to be mandated immediately
Going forward, all public chargers will require tariff pricing to be the standardised pence per kWh. The tariff price will also need to be provided clearly before the start of the charge on at least the charger itself, within the designated app, or on charger location maps. As well, the price of a charge cannot go up once a charge has been initiated.
Check out our guide on how CPOs can effectively price their charger tariffs with Fuuse here.
Looking forward
Legislations aimed at improving the consumer experience will prove to be the most impactful changes made in the journey to a complete EV transition.
The government is continuing to look ahead, planning changes to aid in the progression of the EV charging infrastructure and helping to meet future EV goals in the UK.
