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THE CHANGES ARE EXPECTED TO SAVE DRIVERS UP TO £1,100 A YEAR RORY POULTER 04:30, 31 May 2025 Motorists could save up to £1,100 a year under sweeping new Government rules designed to make it

quicker and easier for households and businesses to install EV chargepoints. In most cases, there'll be no need to first obtain planning permission. The changes mean EV drivers with a

driveway can now power up at home, while companies can roll out public and workplace chargers faster and more cheaply. Ministers claim that installing a private chargepoint at home could

save motorists as much as £1,100 per year compared with the cost of fuelling a traditional petrol or diesel car. Officials claim EVs now cost as little as 2p per mile to run, with a growing

number of affordable options available. Two in five used EVs are priced under £20,000, and 29 new models come in under £30,000. Most new EVs now offer a range of nearly 300 miles – enough to

travel from London to Newcastle on a single charge. The Government hopes to boost the uptake of electric vehicles, support British carmakers and create tens of thousands of jobs. It comes

as the UK now boasts nearly 80,000 public EV chargepoints, with a new one installed every 29 minutes, according to Department for Transport (DfT) figures. Lilian Greenwood, the newly

appointed Future of Roads Minister, said: “We’re cutting down on paperwork to power up the EV revolution, so that drivers, businesses and those looking to make the switch will have more

chargepoints to power from, and less red tape to deal with. Article continues below “We continue to make the switch to EVs easier, cheaper and better by investing over £2.3bn to support

drivers and back British carmakers through international trade deals - creating jobs, boosting investment and securing our future as part of our Plan for Change.” If you rent or own a flat,

you can get either £350 or 75% off the cost to buy and install a socket, whichever amount is lower. The streamlined planning rules will also speed up the rollout of critical infrastructure

such as substations, which are needed to power the growing network of fast-charging hubs around the country. Lewis Gardiner, Operations Director at Osprey Charging Network, said: "This

is a hugely welcome and practical change that will make a real difference on the ground. Removing the need for planning permission for essential electrical infrastructure like substations

across the majority of sites will save months of delays, reduce costs, and accelerate the delivery of the rapid charging hubs drivers need. Article continues below "It’s the result of

months of collaboration between industry and Government, and we’re proud to have played a key role in making it happen." DfT said almost 3,000 public chargers were added to the network

in April alone – the highest monthly total on record. Patrick Dunne, Sainsbury’s Chief Property and Procurement Officer and MD of Smart Charge, said: “Everyone at Smart Charge knows how

important it is to make EV charging simple, reliable and accessible – both to make transport cleaner and to ensure we’re meeting the everyday needs of drivers throughout the UK. “We welcome

this new streamlined approach to installing charge points, which will help accelerate the nation's adoption of EVs."