By 2030 it is predicted that around 40 per cent of all cars on UK roads will be electric, and that by 2040 almost all cars will be. But how do these statistics affect planners and what challenges do they pose for the profession?

Levelling up the playing field

Currently, homeowners with their own driveways can relatively easily install a charging point for an electric car. But in the near future EV installs are expected to be restricted by Distribution Network Operators (DNOs) as the grid comes under increased strain to deliver electricity to customers. You also have to consider those who currently have no choice but on-street parking, with no guaranteed space, and in the future, no guaranteed charging point.

Put plainly, streets will need to be adapted or alternative solutions found, otherwise individuals and neighbourhoods will lose out. As research by Savills Lucian Cook highlighted in January 2021 showed, electric vehicles (EVs) are already something of a status symbol in the most affluent areas.

So what will streets of the future look like?

It is difficult to provide answers and plan 10-15 years ahead when we don’t have a clear steer on how technology or charging infrastructure will have progressed. However, these questions will need to be considered by both planners in local government and the private sector as we plan for both new towns and existing city centre regeneration.

We could see city side streets and parking spaces retrofitted with individual charging points reserved solely for EVs. While this would discriminate against those still driving fossil fuel cars, such an approach would cut air pollution and indirectly make streets more pedestrian friendly.

Once driverless EVs arrive they could come to dominate city centre travel. In the future we could see self-driving cars constantly available to hire. Cities could even ban non-electric, human-driven cars altogether.

Are centralised electric car clubs the answer?

Car clubs are increasingly common in the UK’s largest urban centres. Electric car clubs offer the chance to create hubs where EVs can be charged at a central depot, leased for the day and returned to charge in the evening.

A surge in demand for large electric car club depots is possible, especially in zero emission zones. If there is one, planners will need to find suitable locations for such facilities which could be vast in size and extremely power hungry, potentially charging hundreds if not thousands of cars overnight.

Until cars can drive themselves and arrive at your doorstep, these locations will need to situated near to public transport links, in areas with significant grid infrastructure, accessible 24/7 and well lit for safety and security. Such locations could be difficult to find if they are to operate in harmony with existing land uses. Rush hour traffic impacts could also be severe. 

Grid Capacity

Ofgem's Future Insights report warns that meeting the Government’s EV take-up target will probably entail expensive electricity network upgrades. Added to this, the Department for Transport's Road to Zero strategy, outlining government ambition for 50 per cent of all UK made cars to be ultra low emission by 2030, does little to consider concerns of energy regulators Ofgem, the National Grid or DNOs.

This lack of consideration is why energy experts expect DNOs to start curtailing the rollout of residential EV charger installations. We’ll likely see a push from DNOs for more en-route rapid charger hubs/forecourts, such as the one recently developed by Gridserve at Braintree, which can be located close to substations with space capacity. 

There are currently three types of charge points. However the most rapid, which can recharge a car’s battery to 80+ per cent in 20-40 minutes, needs to be situated near a substation or overhead three-phase power line. The closer to the grid capacity, the lower the connection cost. It is clear that a full transition to EVs will require substantial grid capacity upgrades.

Planners will have to engage with grid capacity experts to work on such proposals. Of course, this may not be a bad thing if a reinforced emphasis on renewable energy planning comes about. After all, the electricity to charge all these EVs needs to be renewable to be worthwhile making the transition.

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Further information

Contact Philip Saunders

Contact Savills Planning