(Reuters) – Britain’s competition regulator said on Friday it had launched a probe into some electric vehicle chargepoint operators on highways and motorways, as it laid out guidelines to ensure a robust charging network to aid the country’s net zero plans.
“While some parts of this new sector are developing relatively well… the CMA has found that other parts are facing problems which will hinder roll-out. This could impact the government’s … wider commitment to make the UK net zero by 2050,” the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said.
The CMA said it was looking into long-term arrangements between the operators Electric Highway, MOTO, Roadchef and Extra, adding that it was concerned that the arrangement was reducing competition in the EV charging market.
The regulator also said the postcode lottery system of developing electric vehicle charging needed to change, and that the government must attach conditions to its Rapid Charging Fund worth 950 million pounds ($1.31 billion) meant for upgrading the network.
The move by CMA comes ahead of a ban in UK on sales of new petrol and diesel cars in 2030.
The regulator said more than ten times the available chargepoints will be needed by 2030. The UK currently has around 25,000 chargepoints.
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(Reporting by Pushkala Aripaka in Bengaluru; Editing by Shailesh Kuber)
