Oliver Shaw, CEO at Kalibrate reacts to the news that Ofgem is to invest £300m into EV charge points, with £40bn more to come.

Oliver explains that while these investments must continue, ultimately, businesses need to invest in EV networks smartly, by looking at what consumers want most. Oliver explains that only when having a data-driven strategy when building robust EV charging networks, will this be possible.

“With the ban on sales of new petrol and diesel cars edging closer and the government’s net-zero emissions target, it’s encouraging to see Ofgem boosting the UK’s electric vehicle (EV) charging network. That said, as the current infrastructure within the UK does not support rapid EV adoption, investments at this scale must continue.

“Yet, it must be the right investment. Kalibrate’s latest research found that 57% of EV drivers say they’d like to see more charging points at shopping venues. In comparison, 41% want EV charging points at existing fuel stations.

Clearly, businesses need to be digging deeper into where these EV networks would appeal most to drivers, and at their convenience. For example, last week we saw Costa Coffee partner with InstaVolt to offer chargers at up to 200 of its UK drive-thru locations.

“Going forward, it’s crucial that Ofgem, and businesses alike, are guided by data if they want the roll-out to be effective. This is where a data-driven strategy is crucial. Organisations must understand regional variations, key demographics of EV drivers, locations that have high ROI, consumers’ changed habits from the pandemic and more. The insights and knowledge that data can unlock, including where charging facilities are in high demand, will not only prepare the UK for the EV rollout but allow businesses to widen their target markets and generate the highest ROI.”