Supporting electric vehicle adoption with National Grid Electricity Distribution

The UK has set a clear commitment to achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050 which will be led by the public’s change in daily behaviours. A significant enabler is the adoption of electric vehicles, supported by increased manufacturing and government grants to bring 36 million electric vehicles onto UK roads by 2024.

However, a survey by The Department for Transport found that 45% of respondents hesitate to purchase an electric vehicle due to a lack of charging point availability.

This fear has been labelled ‘range anxiety’ – referring to the uncertainty electric vehicle owners feel when running low on power and not knowing how far away a charging point is. Range anxiety has been identified as a barrier to purchasing electric vehicles – especially for those who do not have an electric vehicle charging point at or near their home or work.

As of mid-2022, it was estimated that there were 460,000 electric vehicles on the road with only an estimated 31,000 public charging points.

Despite the initiatives to encourage the switch, there is a concern that without widely available charging points, electric vehicle adoption could slow.

How National Grid Electricity Distribution is combatting range anxiety

To combat potential range anxiety and support the UK’s vision of a net zero future, National Grid Electricity Distribution recognised the need to support electric vehicle adoption by making it easy for consumers to connect an electric vehicle charging point to the grid – at their home or workplace.

As part of our ongoing Digital Programme, National Grid Electricity Distribution (NGED) we identified the need to develop a user experience that guides electric vehicle owners through the application process, making it easy to equip their property with the power source needed.

Connecting your Electric Vehicle Charging Point to the Grid

Working with NGED’s Digital Team, we designed and developed an easy-to-use online application service to make it simple for electric vehicle owners to submit the information required to connect their property (commercial or domestic) to the network.

In addition to making the application process simple for users, the efficiency of handling those applications has been supercharged with automation and integration into NGED’s internal systems, with 80% of applications now automatically approved.

The NGED team works hard to provide extensive support for the application process and give recommendations on how to prepare for the installation of the charging point. By doing so, they have made the application process for EVCPs simpler and more efficient, enhancing the user experience and boosting business efficiency.

We’re on the journey to a greener future with National Grid Electricity Distribution

As a result of the 2030 fossil fuel vehicle ban and the UK’s 2050 net zero targets, NGED predicts that as many as 1,600 low-carbon technologies will connect to their network every day – totalling over half a million each year.

Our ongoing Digital Programme will enable NGED to proactively meet their customers’ changing behaviours whilst striving to boost internal efficiencies by identifying how they can optimise existing processes with digital technologies.

The new web-based application form, and the Connections website as a whole, will be a significant player in the UK's ambition to encourage motorists to electric vehicles.