UK government review must cut public EV charging costs, says industry voice

Stefan Gabrielsson of Ctek argues the UK government's autumn review of public EV charging costs must deliver concrete steps to reduce prices, which have risen 38% since 2021. Public chargers carry 20% VAT versus 5% on domestic electricity, a gap set to widen as the government plans to scrap VAT on home electricity from October while appealing a tribunal ruling that public charging should also be taxed at 5%. EVA England research shows 75% of drivers cite public charging costs as the biggest barrier to switching to electric.

Why it matters: Rising public charging costs and widening tax disparities threaten EV adoption among drivers without home chargers, putting pressure on charge point operators to justify pricing and on policymakers to intervene through regulation or fiscal measures. The autumn review could reshape the commercial environment for public charging networks if it leads to VAT cuts or other cost reduction mandates.