;

New OLEV regulations come into effect on July 1st

30th June 2019


As of this coming Monday, all home charging infrastructure will need to be “smart” in accordance with the new regulations governed by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles.

Does the 1st of July mark a new dawn? Another progressive step in the developing electric vehicle charging ecosystem? Alternatively, are we standing on the precipice of further uncertainty?

This week I have spent considerable time canvassing the opinion of friends, family and acquaintances for their thoughts on the changes in legislation for home charging infrastructure.

Not a single person I spoke to had any idea what I was talking about, even those who owned electric cars already or are thinking about buying one.

I have also been actively canvassing opinion from several hardware manufacturers and software providers for several months as to how exactly this is going to work. Nobody seemed to be prepared to give me a straight answer as to what will ultimately happen to all the captured data. How will the data be aggregated from so many disparate sources into a useful data pool to be managed, interpreted and utilised to good effect? It seems this chapter is yet to be written.

What we do know is that there are new criteria that need to be adhered to in order to continue to meet the approval for OLEV funding. The specifics of those requirements can be found on the OLEV website.

So, what do the new rules say? Essentially all charge points backed by the government Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme must have the ability to be remotely accessed. They must also be capable of receiving, interpreting and reacting to a signal.

The idea is sound; smart EV charging technology has the potential to dramatically reduce the power load on the National Grid during peak times. Such a reduction is achieved by charging the vehicle when the overall demand for energy is relatively low, similar to programming a dishwasher to utilise the economy seven tariffs overnight. As a result, smart charging minimises the cost of EV charging for users and helps to ensure there is enough power available from the grid for everyone who needs it.

The move is part of the UK Government’s Road to Zero strategy. At the moment, in the UK, we have enough power for our homes and businesses. In the future, as more people start to drive electric vehicles and the demand for electricity becomes more significant, the grid could become stretched. Add this to the move away from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources and the supply of energy will become more of an issue. Such changes mean how and when electricity is used will become key to maintaining the supply.

If you throw Brexit into the mix, then we must consider the fact that about a quarter of the UK’s energy is bought in from overseas. Which ultimately means we have an interesting dilemma to face in the very near future.

Approximately 200 charge point models, from 25 charge point manufacturers, have been confirmed as eligible after 1 July 2019, and have been marked accordingly on the government’s online charge point model approval list.

With so many options to choose from and so many different platforms upon which to host data, it could quickly become overwhelming for the customer to know which way to turn. Freedom of choice is all well and good, but when it comes with total lack of public education and awareness, how can Joe Public be expected to make an informed decision about the right option for them?

If the government really wants to increase the uptake of electric vehicles, an overhaul of the existing information dissemination would be a good place to start.

Recently Alfa Power published a video on social media, the video was captured from CCTV footage from a pilot parking enforcement site.

The CCTV was installed to provide security for EV drivers as well as a means of deterring combustion engine vehicle drivers from parking in energised bays. However, in this instance, it was not successfully used for charging.

The footage showed two individuals attempting to inflate the tyres of their car using first the CCS connector and then the CHAdeMO connector at one of our rapid charging stations at a petrol station in South Leeds. As amusing as the video was, it demonstrated the lack of understanding, education and general awareness surrounding EV charging infrastructure.

Our video is not an isolated example, and there are many more instances of behaviours that demonstrate a general lack of awareness of this emerging technology. I would like to see considerably more investment in public awareness campaigns about the emerging technology to help to bridge the knowledge gaps and affect a positive change on public perceptions. This new legislation change is another example of a missed opportunity. We should have been able to help educate the general public and build trust in the technology via this new legislation.

Some question marks also remain as to whether the ultimate reason for this change is actually progressive. Is this technology being introduced solely to enable more accurate data interrogation and to take the necessary steps towards finding grid balancing solutions? Or is this simply the first step in providing a means to differentiate between the energy utilised within the home versus the energy used to fuel a vehicle at home?

The government is going to need to find a way to replace its lost income from the taxation that currently exists on combustion engine fuels. The pessimists amongst us might suggest that through smart chargers in the home, it is possible to precisely identify how much energy is dedicated to providing a fuel source for your vehicle. This will make taxation on that fuel a genuine possibility in the future.

As is often the case, there seem to be more questions than answers. While we do not promise to have all the answers, Alfa Power has positioned itself to provide a range of hardware and software options for the end customer to choose from. We are hardware and software agnostic and as such, have no agenda or bias. Our team can talk through the range of options and help guide the end user to make a more informed choice.

If you are interested in an EV charging solution and would like a free consultation from one of Alfa Power’s EV experts, please send us a message via the contact page.

More Recent News


Card image
14 November 2019
Alfa Power Scoops Prestigious Industry Award
Read More
Card image
29 September 2019
Does a horse react to an EV? Yay or Neigh
Read More
Card image
22 September 2019
How Jeff Bezos just helped us on the Road To Zero.
Read More
Card image
15 September 2019
Can the national grid cope with demand from electric cars?
Read More
Card image
08 September 2019
Will changes in planning regulations make a difference to EV uptake?
Read More
Card image
01 September 2019
Is size everything?
Read More
Card image
25 August 2019
How we’re improving fault-finding and charger uptime
Read More
Card image
18 August 2019
Alfa Power wages war on ICEing
Read More
Card image
11 August 2019
Motorsport, Electric Cars & Renewable Energy: A Fans Perspective
Read More
Card image
04 August 2019
Why incentives for taxi drivers aren’t working
Read More
Card image
28 July 2019
Will extreme heat affect my EV charging session?
Read More
Card image
21 July 2019
Alfa Power welcomes changes to planning guidance
Read More
Card image
14 July 2019
The importance of innovation
Read More
Card image
07 July 2019
Golf Clubs - Are you hitting the green in regulation?
Read More
Card image
30 June 2019
New OLEV regulations come into effect on July 1st
Read More
Card image
25 April 2019
Alfa Power venture into London
Read More
Card image
08 April 2019
Alfa Power installs 70kW rapid charger in Nottingham
Read More
Card image
13 March 2019
One fob. Two networks.
Read More
Card image
15 February 2019
The Death of the Petrol Station
Read More
Card image
11 January 2019
DC charger on the A1
Read More
Card image
10 January 2019
Rutland’s first fast EV charger
Read More
Card image
30 November 2018
Alfa Power aims to awaken a sleeping giant
Read More
Card image
17 November 2018
Launch of 60kW EV charger at Huddersfield
Read More
Card image
16 November 2018
Alfa Power launch UK’s first 120kW EV Charger
Read More
Card image
10 November 2018
Victoria Service Station launch event
Read More
Card image
09 November 2018
Cabinet member to switch on multiple chargers on November 15
Read More
Card image
02 November 2018
Celebration for 60kW charger at Brighouse Crown Service Station
Read More
Card image
13 October 2018
How long does it take to charge an EV?
Read More
Card image
13 October 2018
How much does it cost to charge an EV?
Read More
Card image
04 October 2018
Alfa Power arrives!
Read More
Card image
04 October 2018
Is your car eligible for an OLEV home charge grant?
Read More
Card image
20 September 2018
Alfa Power hosts MOBA event
Read More
Card image
15 October 2020
Alfa Power Join Octopus Energy’s Electric Juice Network
Read More
Card image
01 August 2020
Alfa Power to Offset Carbon Emissions
Read More
Card image
01 September 2020
Find the Perfect EV Charger for Your Business
Read More
Card image
19 August 2020
Alfa Power Start To Offer Contactless Solutions
Read More
Card image
06 November 2020
Alfa Power Offset Carbon Emissions With Make it Wild
Read More
Card image
11 November 2020
Do Electric Cars Reduce Your Carbon Footprint?
Read More
Card image
18 November 2020
5 Tips On How To Increase Electric Car Range
Read More
Card image
14 January 2021
5 Reasons You Should Buy An Electric Car In 2021
Read More
Card image
28 January 2021
Why Your Business Needs To Install An EV Charger in 2021
Read More
Card image
25 February 2021
Alfa Power Joins Bonnet App
Read More
Card image
26 May 2021
Alfa Power Issue Statement in Response to HMRC Brief
Read More
Copyright © 2021 Alfa E-Charge Ltd | Reg No. 11119473
This websites uses cookies to ensure you get the best experience on our website. Learn More