New ChargeUK trade body vows to double UK charging network. Subscribe to Electric Vehicle News Bitesize Podcast for FREE to hear more!
Eighteen of the UK’s leading electric vehicle charging companies have joined together to form a new trade association, and pledged to double the size of the national charging network by the end of this year.
ChargeUK will serve as a new trade association to represent the UK’s Electric Vehicle charging industry, working with government and other stakeholders to help shape policies and regulations that will enable the continued growth of the UK’s chargepoint infrastructure.
The 18 firms who have formed ChargeUK including industry giants BP pulse, ChargePoint, Fastned, Gridserve, Ionity, Osprey, Pod Point and Shell Recharge. The firms have pledged a combined investment of more than £6 billion by 2030, which will fund “tens of thousands” of new chargers.
Ian Johnston, the boss of charging firm Osprey, will serve as the chair of ChargeUK. He called the formation of the new body “an exciting day”, adding that it was “a demonstration of the electric vehicle charging industry’s growing size and importance to the UK economy.
“Together we are investing billions of pounds to get more charge points in the ground right across the country. These numbers reinforce our commitment to the UK’s Net Zero future. We will continue to be a proactive partner to Government as we deliver a world-class charging infrastructure, giving the nation’s drivers confidence to transition to electric vehicles.”
The introduction of ChargeUK was welcomed by transport decarbonisation and technology minister Jesse Norman. He said the launch “shows how industry working together, alongside the Government, can release private investment, improve delivery, raise standards and promote the use of electric vehicle charging infrastructure for drivers across the country.”
He added: “Our commitment to decarbonising transport, backed by hundreds of millions in funding, has helped to unlock private sector investment, and the ambitious plans of ChargeUK’s members will support more people than ever make the transition to EVs.”
The founding members of ChargeUK are Be.EV, Believ, BP pulse, char.gy, ChargePoint, Connected Kerb, ESB, Equans, Evyve, Fastned, Gridserve, Ionity, Mer, Osprey, Pod Point, PoGo Charge, Shell Recharge and Raw Charging.
Meanwhile in other news, 10 Things you Expect From The New Electric Porsche Boxster.

The Porsche Boxster has been a popular sports car for over two decades. With the rise of electric vehicles, Porsche enthusiasts eagerly await the Boxster’s new electric version. The new electric Porsche Boxster should deliver high performance, excellent handling, and cutting-edge technology.
As one of the most popular sports cars on the market, expectations are high for the latest addition to the Boxster family. We eagerly anticipate a sleek and powerful vehicle incorporating the latest electric technology while maintaining the signature performance and style that has made Porsche a household name.

Porsche offers three engine options with the current 718 Boxster lineup. This includes a 300-hp turbocharged 2.0-litre engine, a 350-hp turbocharged 2.5-litre engine, and a 394-hp 4.0-litre engine on the GTS 4.0 trim.
These engines translate to 0 to 62 mph times of 5.1, 4.6, and 4.5 seconds, respectively. While this is quick for a small two-seat roadster, Porsche can do better with an electric powertrain. The new electric Porsche should be able to deliver a 0 to 60 mph sprint of below 4 seconds.

With Porsche planning to add more electric cars, the electric Boxster will be the gateway vehicle. A low entry price allows most people to get their hands on the sports car. It also helps showcase how much the Boxster escaped the 911’s shadow.

Currently, Porsche offers four trim options with the 718 Boxster, the base Boxster, the Boxster Style Edition, the Boxster S, and the Boxster GTS 4.0. These trim options have different powertrains, except for the base and the Boxster Style Edition.
They also offer different attributes, including ventilated seats, a limited-slip rear differential, and a lowered suspension with adaptive dampers. The new electric Boxster will also have multiple trim options, ensuring every driver can find a Porsche that suits their needs.

When you get into the driver’s seat of a Boxster, you can have two different experiences, a basic layout focused more on driver engagement or a comfortable, quieter design with all the modern amenities you might need. Nowadays, Porsche allows you to customize almost every aspect of the interior.
While this can get a bit pricey, it gives you a modern and comfortable interior. The new electric Porsche will also offer such options, allowing owners to go ham on options. These interior options help make the electric Boxster a sophisticated companion.

One reason enthusiasts love the Boxster is its excellent handling, suspension, steering, and braking. The Boxster has been Porsche’s open-top mid-engine sports car, with everything a driver would want. It’s fun to drive, thanks to the superbly balanced chassis.
For the electric Boxster, Porsche will offer something closely similar to the ICE models. It will have better balance and center of gravity thanks to having a battery pack on the floor. Given how marvelous the Taycan is, the Boxster will offer a better fun-to-drive experience.

While acceleration is a fun party trick for most electric cars, the electric Boxster will also have the best performance. Porsche can get a lot of power from their electric motors, as this is evident with the Taycan. Even if the base Boxster gets a rear-wheel-drive layout, it will still have mind-blowing performance.
Porsche can also offer more power depending on the trim level. For example, the more powerful models can get over 500 ponies, making them a blast to drive. The Boxster will also get Porsche’s innovative two-speed transmission, giving them thrilling shifts during hard acceleration.

Chances are the new electric Boxster will have Porsche’s performance battery and Recuperation Management. This enables the Boxster to deliver outstanding performance and fast charging capabilities.
Porsche offers the current lineup with a fast-charging rate of 270kW. This means the Boxster will have a super quick charging time, enabling it to charge from 5 to 80% in around 20 minutes. While this is slow compared to filling up a tank, it will make it easier to juice up the electric Boxster.

While the ICE-powered Porsche Boxster models are efficient for a sports car, the electric Boxster will have better efficiency. With owners of Porsche Taycan averaging around 2.7mi kWh over hundreds of miles, the electric Boxster promises better numbers.
The range of the electric Boxster will also be impressive. While it won’t match the Tesla, it can offer around 200 miles of range. However, this will vary depending on the electric motors and battery size. The advantage is that the Boxster might also feature Porsche’s 800-volt architecture.

Porsche is a brand that’s synonymous with groundbreaking design features. It’s evident with the current lineup, including the 718 Boxster, 911, or Taycan. The new electric Porsche Boxster will also feature a design that carries the Porsche DNA to the electrified era.
Like most modern Porsche cars, the new Boxster should feature the latest LED matrix headlights with PDLS Plus. This will give a unique light signature. The new electric Boxster should also get new attention-grabbing colours to impress all enthusiasts.

All Boxsters have had an excellent chassis ever since the first generation. While the newer models feature all the bells and whistles, like stability management and active suspension, the Boxster can still do great without them. Since it’s a convertible, it gets a stiffer chassis while keeping the weight low.
The perfect blend of low weight, excellent chassis, and unique design gives the Boxster great handling. The new electric Boxster should also have outstanding chassis technology, taking advantage of the low-slung battery pack. With this, it can handle even better than its predecessor.

And finally; Prices for small EVs forecast to match combustion cars.
Prices of smaller Electric Vehicle models will rival those of combustion engine cars by the mid-2020s, the International Energy Agency said.

Electric Vehicle sales globally are expected to surge 35 percent this year to 14 million, the Paris-based body said, comprising 18 percent of the passenger car market, up from just 4 percent in 2020.

For larger cars like SUVs and pickups, purchasing parity is likely to come later, probably into the 2030s, Guell added.

China features prominently in the IEA’s annual outlook on EVs, making up half the electrified vehicles on the road worldwide including full-electric cars and plug-in hybrids, and with 60 percent of Electric Vehicle sales last year taking place there.
The country has also seen prices for some smaller Electric Vehicle models edging lower towards those of their combustion-engine equivalents, Guell said.

The agency raised its Electric Vehicle sales forecasts in part because of the U.S. Inflation Reduction Act, which supports green industry and subsidizes consumers’ purchase of electric vehicles.
SUVs and large cars account for nearly two-thirds of EVs in China and Europe and a greater proportion in the U.S.

In emerging and developing economies, two- and three-wheel electric vehicles outnumber cars. Over half of India’s three-wheeler registrations in 2022 were electric, according to the study.
Governments are investing in Electric Vehicle expansion out of concerns over the environment, to boost industrial policy and decrease dependency on oil.

Demand for oil will fall by 5 million barrels a day by 2030 because of the Electric Vehicle transition, IEA executive director Fatih Birol said.

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