Annika Phillips needs space to accommodate her wheelchair while charging ‒ so not all public charge points are suitable
(Picture: Designability)Annika Phillips loves her Nissan Leaf and uses it for shopping, hospital appointments and the school run. However, as a wheelchair user Phillips has faced challenges when it comes to public EV charging.
“So many charge points just aren’t designed in an accessible way,” she says. “Sometimes I can’t even get out of my car as there isn’t enough space.”
Sam Bomorse from Staffordshire, who drives a Hyundai Kona Electric, has also struggled. “I have arthritis and, when I’m using my crutch, dealing with a cumbersome charging cable is very difficult. Sometimes I’ve had to give up and return home, just hoping I’d have enough charge. It’s a stressful experience.”
It is somewhat ironic that a sector referred to as “e-mobility” should be causing problems for those with mobility issues â but for people such as Phillips and Bomorse, the everyday reality of driving an electric car can be tough.
Research by the charity Motability reveals that by 2035 there will be 2.7 million disabled drivers in the UK, with up to half reliant on public EV charging points. There are currently more than 34,000 public charge points in the UK. However, much of this infrastructure isn’t currently accessible for many people with disabilities.
“Unfortunately accessibility and disabled drivers were not considered when the charging infrastructure was first being rolled out,” said Gordon McCullough, CEO of the Research Institute for Disabled Consumers (RIDC). “This should never happen again and in future all types of charging solutions should first be tested by disabled motorists.”
A hugely positive step
Thankfully though, matters are starting to improve. This month a brand new accessibility standard has been launched with specifications on how to provide accessible public charge points for electric vehicles.
Phillips and Bomorse are just two of the disabled motorists who were involved in researching plans for the standard, working with charities Designability and Motability and the Government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OZEV). The resulting standard â BSI PAS 1899:2022 â is a world leader.
“The charge point roll-out is gathering speed and retrofitting existing chargers will be very expensive, so it’s been important to achieve a recognised standard as soon as possible,” explains Catherine Marris, head of innovation at Motability.
“The launch of this BSI-accredited standard is a hugely positive step towards ensuring that disabled motorists aren’t left behind in the transition to EVs,” says Marris. “We’ve found the EV charging infrastructure industry very responsive and keen to improve. It’s just that without the proper research, they didn’t know what accessible charging actually looked like.”
Not just for those with mobility issues
The standard’s guidance for designers, procurers and installers of charge points doesn’t only cover the physical design of the chargers and charging spaces to enable better access for those with mobility issues. It also covers elements such as signage and messaging to aid those with hearing or sight issues, and signals that would potentially help any user with the equipment.
“We recommended having helpful sounds and lights to let the user know the car is plugged in properly,” says Matt Ford, Designability’s head of design and engineering, as an example.
“All motorists know how to use a fuel pump, but with chargers we’ve had to get to grips with different brands and their various layouts. Although the charge-point design improvements were made with disabled people in mind, the fact is that inclusive design benefits everyone.”
What can disabled users do ahead of rollout?
While the BSI standard is only voluntary for now, many organisations such as local councils and retail outlets will be keen to install chargers that meet this standard as this will indicate their commitment to the Equalities Act 2010. However it could be a while before the new accessible charge points are widely available. What can disabled users do in the meantime?
If a disabled motorist is considering getting an electric car, it is a good idea to ask the dealership to arrange for a visit to one or two local charging points to try out the whole process. If the vehicle has items such as a hoist, ramp or heating pads, these can potentially affect the range of the vehicle, so that’s another topic to discuss with the dealer. Apps such as Zap-Map are useful when it comes to tracking down suitable chargers, and it is worth downloading it in advance.
“Plan your journey and include charging stops before you actually need one,” advises Marris. “That means that if one location isn’t suitable you still have enough charge to try another. Also consider choosing charging locations that are more likely to have assistance or staff at hand such as those at venues.”
Flagging up charge-point problems is also worthwhile. “If you find a charge point that isn’t accessible, it’s worth pointing it out to the provider,” says Phillips. “I told Exeter City Council about the lack of space for my chair and they resprayed the bay, making it wider.”
Get involved
The RIDC welcomes disabled motorists to join its panel and contribute to ongoing research to improve EV accessibility. Both Phillips and Bomorse say they are very pleased to have helped in developing the new charging standard.
“Electric cars have so many advantages: they are cheaper to run, better for the environment and offer an excellent driving experience,” says Bomorse. “It feels very worthwhile to have helped with a project that means disabled drivers aren’t left out from joining the shift to electric vehicles.”
Phillips echoes his sentiment. “It was great to work with the team at Designability and I’m very excited to have been part of improving the public charging experience, not just for disabled people but for all EV drivers.”
For more information, see the Designability Design Guidance, which has helpful information, diagrams and videos. The new standard can be downloaded fromPAS-1899 | BSI (bsigroup.com)
