The electric vehicle revolution: what residential developers need to know

The government's publication last year of Road to Zero set out the UK's strategy for ending the sale of petrol and diesel cars and for moving all new vehicles to zero emissions by 2040. The clock is therefore ticking, so developers will want to ensure that they are keeping pace with the knock-on effect of this mission on new housing and infrastructure.

A recent government consultation on EV charging points in residential and non-residential buildings is at the heart of this. The proposals are designed to support the uptake of electric vehicles by ensuring, amongst other things, that all new homes with a parking space will come with an integrated charge point.

The number of electric vehicles in the UK now exceeds 200,000 and they are rapidly becoming mainstream. Earlier this year, an electric car, the Kia e-Niro, was awarded Car of the Year 2019 by What Car. As things stand, there is a clear lack of charging points in the UK and progressive developers will undoubtedly see opportunities to put themselves at the forefront of this revolution.

But will the proposals put forward in the consultation ensure that residential buildings are going to be ready for the future and what are the potential implications for residential developers?

The proposals: an overview

The consultation covers both residential and non-residential building but this article covers the impact on residential buildings only. The headlines from the package of proposals are as follows:

• Every new residential building with an associated car parking space is to have a charge point. It is proposed that this will also apply to buildings undergoing a "material change of use" to create a dwelling.
• Every residential building undergoing major renovation with more than 10 car parking spaces is to have one charge point and cable routes for electric vehicle charge points in every car parking space.
• Charge points must have a minimum power rating output of 7kw, be fitted with a universal socket that can charge all types of electrical vehicle currently on the market and meet relevant safety and accessibility requirements.
• Building regulations are to provide the overarching requirement for the provision and safety of EV charging infrastructure. The rationale behind this is that for the average home, the current cost of installing a charge point up front is £976 compared to £2,040 for retrofit so it is considerably more cost effective to install them at the build stage.

Exemptions

The consultation considers a variety of potential exemptions from the regulations including listed buildings and some buildings in conservation areas as well as those where it is not "technologically feasible" to include an EV charge point; this suggests a degree of potential to get around the requirements although consumer demand may well dictate otherwise.

The government also proposes exempting major renovations where the cost of installing the cable routes would exceed 7% of the total cost of the renovation works. The precise ambit of any exemptions is an area that will need quite a lot of fine tuning as part of the response process.

A potential lead in time from the date of publishing the new regulations to them coming into force is also under review as it is acknowledged that developers will need some time to fully understand the requirements and to ensure they mobilise the necessary expertise to deliver them effectively.

Issues and concerns

• In urban areas, there is generally less access to off-street parking but conversely electric vehicles are more suitable for urban environments, where emissions tend to be at their highest. Home charging is seen as being the most appropriate form of charging but there are real challenges in installing large volumes of charging points in inner city areas where space is limited. These issues are not addressed within the consultation which only covers charging points linked to new builds or properties undergoing major renovation so to that extent their scope is limited and directed to the longer term future.
• There will be landlord and tenant issues to overcome in residential blocks. A landlord will be responsible for installing the charge point but who will be liable to maintain and repair it in the long term? Presumably the landlord, but at the cost of the individual tenants.
• Developers will need to consider the capacity for the charge point to be installed and whether a battery storage unit should be installed to reduce the cost for end users of purchasing the electricity.
• Will these regulations encourage more developers to look at developments that are entirely car-free and so not subject to these requirements? The UK's first car-free community is planned in Portsmouth.
• Will these charge points still be fit for purpose in the decades to come, as technology is further developed? The pace of change means it is difficult to anticipate the requirements of the vehicles of the future, even twenty years down the line. Could the charge points of today become in the future the solar panel equivalent of this decade?

Timing and implementation

The consultation closed on 7 October 2019 and there is no clear date for the government's response, but the regulations are expected to come into force in the first half of 2020.This undoubtedly presents interesting opportunities for residential developers as the government follows through on its intention to prioritise the future proofing of charging infrastructure.

Ann Folan
Lisa Bevan