Power to the people! New laws will help drivers find cheapest charging points for electric cars as part of green revolution for motoring

Electric car owners without their own driveways will get help to find cheaper charging points under a plan to revolutionise motoring that will be unveiled in weeks.

The Government has vowed to ensure charging electric vehicles is as easy as refuelling petrol or diesel cars.

But many households who do not have off-street parking are put off making the switch to electric as they have to rely on public charging points that are less convenient, more expensive and often have confusing pricing.

Ministers will publish an electric vehicle infrastructure strategy this autumn setting out how it will get the country ready for the phase out of petrol and diesel cars.

The Government has vowed to ensure charging electric vehicles is as easy as refuelling petrol or diesel cars and ministers will set out an electric vehicle infrastructure strategy this autumn that will 'revolutionise motoring'

As part of the plan, they will make it easier to compare the costs of different public charging points in a bid to drive competition and bring down prices. File

As part of the plan, they will make it easier to compare the costs of different public charging points in a bid to drive competition and bring down prices. 

Providers will have to show their prices using a standardised pence-per-kilowatt hour . 

They will also have to make this information available for price comparison websites and apps so drivers can discover where they can go nearby for cheaper charging.

Ministers will use legislation to mandate price transparency and make charging point data publicly available. 

Whitehall sources said finding ways to help people without driveways charge electric vehicles would be a ‘key focus’ of the strategy. 

Whitehall sources said finding ways to help people without driveways charge electric vehicles would be a ‘key focus’ of the strategy

It comes as government prepares to host the crucial COP26 world summit aimed at driving action on climate change.

The Government plans to ban sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 – with hybrids prohibited from 2035.

Around a third of households do not have access to off-street parking but charging an electric car at home is much cheaper than using one of the 25,000 public charging points across the country.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said it expects electric vehicles to account for more than one in six new cars bought this year.