Automated and Electric Vehicles Act 2018: Regulatory Report (EV Charging)
This article explains the UK government’s regulatory report on the :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0} (AEVA), focusing on Part 2: Electric Vehicles – Charging. It outlines how the Act underpins smart charging, consumer protection, interoperability, and the national rollout of EV infrastructure.
Executive summary
The transition to zero-emission vehicles is central to the UK’s climate, air-quality, and industrial strategy. Transport is the UK’s largest source of greenhouse gas emissions, with cars and vans accounting for approximately 19% of domestic emissions.
The AEVA provides government with powers to ensure that EV charging infrastructure is:
- Widely available and fit for mass adoption
- Easy and consistent for consumers to use
- Technically interoperable and data-enabled
- Capable of supporting smart, flexible electricity demand
Introduction: the role of AEVA
The UK aims to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans, requiring all new vehicles to have significant zero-emission capability from 2030 and to be 100% zero-emission by 2035.
The AEVA has two parts:
| Part | Focus | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Automated vehicles | Insurer liability and safe deployment of self-driving technology |
| Part 2 | Electric vehicles – charging | Expansion, regulation, and improvement of EV charging infrastructure |
This report covers work undertaken under Part 2, which is directly relevant to chargepoint operators, installers, manufacturers, and network planners.
Powers granted under Part 2 of AEVA
The Act enables government, via secondary legislation, to:
- Improve consumer experience through interoperability, consistent technical standards, and open data on location and availability
- Reduce range anxiety by requiring infrastructure at strategic locations such as motorway service areas (MSAs)
- Mandate smart charging by prohibiting the sale of non-compliant private chargepoints
Smart charging requirements include the ability for chargepoints to:
- Receive, process, and transmit information
- Adjust charging rates or timing in response to signals
- Monitor and record energy consumption
- Comply with cyber and data security requirements
- Enable remote access and control
Work undertaken during the first reporting period
Consumer experience at public chargepoints
- Simplifying payment and enabling non-smartphone access
- Exploring roaming solutions for cross-network access
- Consulting on reliability targets, including 99% uptime on a fleet-average basis
Large fuel retailers and motorway service areas
While powers exist to mandate provision, government has so far prioritised commercial delivery. Targets include:
- At least 6 high-powered (150kW+) chargepoints at every MSA by 2023
- Approximately 2,500 high-powered chargepoints by 2030
- Approximately 6,000 high-powered chargepoints by 2035
Open data and information for users
- Opening static and dynamic chargepoint data to the market
- Considering mandatory use of the OCPI data standard
- Improving definitions of “available” and fault reporting
Smart chargepoints (Section 15)
Smart charging enables EV demand to shift to periods of low system demand or high renewable generation, reducing network reinforcement costs and benefiting consumers through lower energy prices.
Following consultation, government committed to mandating that all private chargepoints sold in Great Britain must be smart and meet minimum device-level standards.
- Cyber and data security
- Grid stability and safety
- Energy monitoring and control
Next steps identified in the report
- Publication of government responses to consultations
- Introduction of secondary legislation where needed
- Potential new primary powers to strengthen consumer rights and inclusivity
- Expansion of smart regulation to other connected energy devices
What this means for industry
The AEVA signals a long-term regulatory trajectory: openness, reliability, accessibility, and smart energy integration are no longer optional. Businesses that design for interoperability, open data, and high uptime are structurally aligned with future regulation.
