In a world-first, England will require all new homes to have E | The world is good

In a world-first, England will require all new homes to have EV chargers

With people’s garages increasingly housing electric cars rather than gas-powered ones, there is also a growing need for adequate charging infrastructure for these vehicles.

Well aware of that, the British government has decided to introduce legislation that will require all new homes and offices to feature electric chargers in England, a move that will make it the first country in the world to do so.

As part of the new law, all newly built homes and offices will have to specifically feature “smart” charging technology that can automatically charge vehicles during off-peak periods. Every new office block will also be required to install a charging point for every five parking spaces.

The initiative is intended to boost EV adoption by helping those transitioning from internal-combustion cars overcome range anxiety, as many streets in England lack charging infrastructure for electric cars. The move also comes ahead of the UK’s 2030 ban of new fossil-fuel vehicles.

“Flexible charging at home and at workplace during the day is going to be crucial to decarbonizing not just transport but the UK’s entire energy system,” Nigel Pocklington, CEO of clean energy company Good Energy, told Business Green. “As will better energy efficiency, electrified heating and solar power on 13.5 million homes – we hope to see all these as part of the plans for new homes, too.”