Don’t believe the headlines – EV networks are delivering on consumer need for reliable, easy to use charging at great locations

This week, consumer champion Which? found that most electric car owners are unhappy with public charging infrastructure, with it described as “not fit for purpose.” InstaVolt CEO, Adrian Keen gave us his take:

“The survey tells us that some drivers are nervous about the transition to electric, but it hides the fact that there are three to four networks delivering on consumers need for reliable yet simple to use charging at great locations, and driving forward the user experience.

“InstaVolt has always been at the forefront of the belief that charging needs to be simple and reliable. We pioneered contactless payment on public charging to remove the fear of having to download endless apps – a non-negotiable which has remained at the heart of our business and is implemented on every new charger we install.

“Our reliability is industry-leading, with 99%+ uptime supported by our in-house team of Field Engineers who proactively maintain our 1,400+ chargers, further supported by our 24/7 call centre support team, to be there for drivers when they need us.

“Network maintenance, as well as infrastructure, build and rent costs are major considerations when running a public charging network. The cost of public charging simply cannot be compared to the costs of home charging, with home users being able to take advantage of cheaper, overnight tariffs plus VAT disparity, charged at 20% for public charging vs 5% at home. Our offering is good value for the premium service we offer and essential for the future of our planet.

“To enhance the customer experience further, we’re partnered with some of the UK’s leading brands including Costa Coffee, McDonald’s, Booths Supermarkets and Bannatyne Health Clubs so drivers can enjoy a coffee and a bite to eat, check their emails or fit in a workout, while they charge.

“With the support of these partners, we’re growing faster than any other charging network, installing multiple charge points at each location as well as our roadside hubs of eight+ chargers. We’re soon to launch in West London’s Syon Park, opening one of the largest hubs inside the M25 to support the city’s growing number of EV drivers. We recently secured planning consent to build a superhub on the A34 just north of Winchester.

“There are some great networks driving forward the standard, and it gets better every day. Along with these networks, we continue to invest in expansion and innovation, improving the UK’s charging infrastructure to give consumers the confidence to make the switch to electric.”