Overcoming electric vehicle accessibility concerns

Feature

Disabled drivers are facing some very basic accessibility barriers when it comes to electric vehicles. So what is being done to address the issue?

If the UK is to meet its net zero transport ambitions, then everybody needs to be able to make the switch to zero emission electric vehicles, including the 16 million+ disabled people in the UK.

While some motorists and business drivers may cite the usual concerns about electric vehicles, such as range anxiety or being unsure about the public charging network, these issues are heightened for disabled motorists, who can experience even the most basic accessibility barriers.

At charge points, for example, issues could include a lack of dropped kerbs, the height of the charge points, parking bays that are too small for adapted vehicles or wheel chairs, or cables not reaching. Charging cables may be too heavy to carry and the amount of force required to attach the connector could also be a challenge. 

There are also issues with the vehicles themselves, as some are not tall enough for some seated wheelchair users, or do not have enough boot space for mobility equipment. The location of the charging socket is often highlighted as key accessibility concerns for EVs.

British Paralympic athlete Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE has recently shared her own experience when looking to make the switch to electric driving. Having attended a recent meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Electric Vehicles, Baroness Grey-Thompson said: “We were very close to buying an electric car but when we started looking at the accessibility of the charging stations it very quickly became apparent that it was a complete no-go.  

“Many of the charging stations we looked at, I would not be able to use for many reasons which include the height of the charging stations, high steps, gravel, and no wide spaces.

“One place we looked at I might have been able to use the charger but there were no accessible spaces so I could not get my chair out of the car to be able to use it. There was also an issue with lighting. One place I checked later at night felt very isolated and I was not sure I would feel safe getting out.”

An earlier meeting of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) saw Welsh Liberal Democrat member of the House of Lords, Baroness Jenny Randerson, call for urgent government action to address accessibility issues. She said: “We live in an ageing society and around one in five adults have a disability. It’s essential that charging point infrastructure is provided with all drivers in mind. The UK cannot transition to EVs unless we can all use them. The industry needs to see the bigger picture – everyone is a potential customer.”

What can be done?

Research by Motability Foundation predicts that 1.35 million disabled drivers will be partially or fully reliant on public charging infrastructure by 2035. It is therefore of paramount importance that accessibility issues must be addressed.

To make the public charging network more user-friendly for disabled motorists, British specification PAS 1899:2022 identifies how to provide accessible public charge points for electric vehicles. Co-sponsored by the Motability Foundation and the government, it can be used by designers, procurers, and installers.

However, as British specifications are voluntary unless referred to in legislation, at present, charge point providers, landowners and land administrators are under no legal obligation to conform with the standard.

Indeed, a Freedom of Information request from Vauxhall to councils across the country has shown that only 238 of the 19,456 on-street charge points in the UK are known to conform to PAS 1899. And only 105 on-street chargers are positioned in disabled parking bays.

Some of the voices putting their weight behind the calls for PAS 1899:2022 to be mandated are ChargeSafe, Motability Foundation, RECHARGE UK, as well as the aforementioned individuals Baroness Jenny Randerson and Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson.

Pockets of good practice 

In May 2023, Dundee City Council opened its new public EV charging hub on Clepington Road, which has an emphasis on accessibility. 

Installed by Swarco Smart Charging, in consultation with Urban Foresight, along with disabled drivers, charities and manufacturers, the design takes into account guidance from the BSI PAS 1899:2022, with measures including longer cables to allow for wheelchair access vehicles, as well as level access from the parking bay to the charge point. Carefully considered wheel stops prevent vehicles from encroaching on the space between the front of the bays and the chargers.

Vauxhall’s Electric Streets database allows drivers to register their need for local on street charging, and can also say whether they need it with particular requirements to suit their disability.

The vehicles

It’s not only the design of the charging infrastructure that can pose issues. According to research from Motability Foundation, disabled people believe their requirements are not being sufficiently considered in the design and production of EVs. Examples of unsuitable design features included some electric vehicles not being tall enough for some seated wheelchair users, or not enough boot space for mobility equipment. The position of the battery is a key concern for adapters and converters, and is a particular challenge to producing small Wheelchair Assisted Vehicles (WAVs), which are the preferred size for many WAV users.

Motability Operations and Callum have recently worked together to create the eVITA concept vehicle which addresses the needs of passenger WAV users. Critical to the design of eVITA is the positioning of the battery. Its design ensures that the floor between the vehicle tailgate and front row is completely flat. This allows a wheelchair to smoothly travel from the rear ramp through the interior and be positioned nearer other occupants. With a ride height closer to that of a hatchback car, the wheelchair user has an improved lower seating position with better visibility in the cabin. 

eVITA features two charging ports – one at the nearside rear and a lower front-mounted option for ease of access for all users. The vehicle’s 50kWh battery provides an anticipated range of around 200 miles.