We believe that every public electric vehicle (EV) chargepoint should be accessible. With the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK due to end in 2035 we want to ensure that disabled people are not left behind in this transition.
Our key priority is to work with industry, Government and other charities to amplify the voices of disabled people in the transport system and create innovative solutions to the chargepoint accessibility issues faced by disabled people.
Accessibility standard for public EV charging – PAS 1899
We’ve conducted extensive research to understand the barriers disabled people face when using electric vehicles chargepoints. These include:
- the weight of charging cables
- the force required to attach the connector
- the lack of dropped kerbs around chargepoints and,
- unsuitable parking arrangements.
Accessible PAS 1899 standard and design guidance
Working in partnership with the UK Government’s Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) we commissioned the British Standards Institution (BSI) to develop a national accessible charging standard for EV chargepoints.
The standard provides industry with a clear specification of how to make accessible chargepoints of different speeds and in different environments. It has been designed to apply to all chargepoints. The standard has now been published.
We also partnered with Designability and awarded Designability with grant funding to create freely available design guidance for chargepoint manufacturers, providers and designers, to help translate what is a complex technical standard into clear guidance.
We also funded Designability to create some exemplar prototypes of how to achieve accessibility for different chargepoint components.
Learn more about the design guidance.
Endorsing Assessment Schemes
We are continuing to support the uptake of the PAS 1899 standard and ensure it is being as widely as possible implemented to make public EV charging accessible to all.
We know from our engagement with industry that providers and manufacturers are keen to have a way of checking if their chargepoints conform with PAS 1899.
In response to this we are providing our endorsement to the assessment schemes that we determine to be the best in checking whether a chargepoint, site, or network complies with PAS 1899 requirements.
Working with an assessment scheme will allow procurers and providers of public charging to demonstrate their commitment to accessibility, and ensure that disabled people can make more informed choices about where to charge as we transition to EVs.
Following a full application process that ran throughout summer 2023 the first assessment schemes to receive our endorsement will be operated by AccessAble and BSI Assurance.
Chargepoint providers, landowners, local authorities and manufacturers can contact AccessAble or BSI Assurance directly to arrange assessments.
Results from assessments will be made freely available online, so that disabled people can make informed decisions about where to charge their electric vehicles.
We will provide a further opportunity for organisations to apply for our endorsement in autumn 2024. To register your interest in the endorsement please email innovation@motabilityfoundation.org.uk.