New buildings in England must have electric-vehicle chargers from 2022 – Should Malta follow suit?

Electric vehicle (EV) charging points will be a mandatory feature of new homes and buildings in England from next year, in a major bid to try and move drivers away from petrol and diesel cars.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce the new legislation on Monday in a speech to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) annual conference.

The law will cover new homes and non-residential properties such as supermarkets and workplaces – as well as substantially refurbished properties with more than 10 parking spaces.

The British Government says the change will lead to the installation of up to 145,000 EV chargers across England each year, building on the “over 250,000” home and workplace chargers it has supported so far.

From 2030, the sale of new internal combustion engine (ICE) cars will be banned in the UK.

Earlier this month, the Maltese Government launched an app called Charge My Ride, which allows EV users to locate the closest charging pillars and displays.

The Government has also committed to having a total of 186 charging pillars across the country by the end of the year, with 362 charging points in over 70 localities.

This commitment should improve the situation for local EV drivers substantially, with key figures in the local industry having told BusinessNow.mt that the biggest stumbling block currently to mass adoption is the lack of infrastructure in Malta.

This year’s budget also included significantly increased incentives for those purchasing electric cars, with grants of up to €12,000 available for those scrapping their current vehicles and replacing them with the more eco-friendly ones.