Give us more power points for electric cars, plead MPs

THOUSANDS more charging points for electric cars are needed so drivers no longer fear ‘running out of juice’, Tory MPs have told the Chancellor.

Ministers have announced plans to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2040. But having made the bold commitment to speed up the switch to electric, ministers are under pressure to make it viable.

In a letter to Philip Hammond and Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, Tory MPs Julian Knight and Charlie Elphicke said: ‘It’s clear a step change is required in investment and the infrastructure required to deliver a fully electric motoring future.

‘A robust strategy is needed to ensure the charging infrastructure is able to cope with demand. Especially as the fear of running out of battery power is a key barrier to the mass adoption of electric cars.’

There are 31.7million cars on the roads, but only 4,000 electric charging point locations, with around 11,500 individual points. In comparison there are 8,400 petrol stations across the country, each with six or more pumps which can fill a tank in less than five minutes.

A Government spokesman said: ‘ We are investing £1billion in ultra-low emission vehicles by 2020. This country has the most comprehensive network of rapid chargepoints in Europe.’