This guest article was written by Daniel Kunkel, who was appointed as UK CPO GRIDSERVE’s new CEO earlier this year. Here, Daniel shares his insights on the differences in EV policy between the UK and countries in mainland Europe, outlining where policy needs to change for the UK.
Four months into my role as CEO of GRIDSERVE, having spent years navigating the European energy landscape at Shell in Germany and building charging networks across EMEA with Ubitricity, I’m struck by both the tremendous opportunity and the urgent challenges in policy facing the UK’s electric vehicle transition.
The numbers tell a compelling story. Britain achieved something remarkable in 2024 – becoming Europe’s largest EV market with nearly 20% of new car registrations going electric. This success came despite the removal of consumer purchase grants in 2022. The UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate was working, creating the regulatory certainty that drives investment. The risk here is that with recently introduced flexibilities, we can’t rely on that to drive adoption into 2030.
As someone who has witnessed firsthand how policy shapes markets across Europe, I see critical areas where the UK is falling behind – and where targeted action could accelerate our transition whilst supporting economic growth.
Learning from European policy
In my native Germany, there is valuable insight into what effective policy looks like. When Germany abruptly cut its €4,500 EV subsidy in 2023, sales plummeted. However, the swift introduction of business tax incentives running until 2028 demonstrated how quickly markets can respond to well-designed policy interventions. This wasn’t just about subsidies – it was about creating sustained market confidence.
The German model also highlights the power of eCredits under the Renewable Energy Directive. Since 2017, charge point operators in Germany have been able to claim credits for clean energy sold to EV customers, making charging infrastructure an attractive investment proposition. The results speak for themselves: Germany and the Netherlands, which introduced similar schemes in 2015, now host around 50% of all EU charging points.
France’s recent adoption of eCredits in 2022 has similarly sparked a surge in private investment, proving that even established markets can benefit from these mechanisms. The policy essentially transforms every charging session into a revenue opportunity for clean energy, reducing reliance on government funding whilst accelerating deployment.
The UK’s infrastructure policy gap
This brings me to perhaps the most critical policy gap facing Britain today: the exclusion of charge point operators from the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO). Whilst our European neighbours incentivise clean energy investments in EV charging, the UK’s RTFO remains focused solely on biofuels – a legacy approach that puts us at a competitive disadvantage.
Having built charging networks across multiple European markets, I can attest that capital flows where policy creates certainty and returns. The UK’s current approach disadvantages our charging sector, making it harder to attract the private investment needed to build the infrastructure that will support millions more EVs.
The infrastructure challenge is not abstract. Last year saw over 1.3 million public charging points installed globally – equivalent to the entire global stock that existed in 2020. In China, there’s now more than one public charger for every 10 EVs, whilst the EU maintains a ratio of one per 13 vehicles. The UK must not fall behind in this infrastructure race, particularly as we approach the 2030s when EV adoption will accelerate dramatically as sales of internal combustion engine cars end.
The business case for action
From an economic perspective, the case for policy reform is compelling. Expanding RTFO to include electricity used in transport would create a sustainable funding mechanism that reduces taxpayer burden whilst accelerating infrastructure deployment. This isn’t about picking winners – it’s about creating market conditions that reward clean energy investment.
Addressing the VAT disparity between home and public charging represents a straightforward equity and accessibility measure. Home charging typically enjoys lower electricity rates and reduced VAT, creating an inherent advantage for those with off-street parking. Reducing public charging VAT would level the playing field, particularly benefiting urban residents and those in rental accommodation who rely on public infrastructure. We know that this will drive adoption as our recent survey revealed that 50% of drivers would switch sooner if VAT was equalised on public charging.
Equally, while signage and wayfinding improvement policy discussions may seem minor, they address real consumer concerns about charging availability. Having observed driver behaviour across multiple markets, I can confirm that infrastructure confidence drives adoption as much as vehicle availability or cost.
International competitiveness and investment
Britain’s position as Europe’s largest EV market in 2024 demonstrates our potential. I have been amazed by the technology innovations here too. By accepting that the best outcomes could come from any variety of technologies, there is a culture of learning by doing, which has led to many firsts in the market that have benefitted the transition. I saw this first hand at Ubitricity. Maintaining this growth and technology leadership requires continued policy innovation though. The emerging markets showing 60% growth in EV sales aren’t succeeding by chance – they’re implementing comprehensive policy packages that address multiple barriers simultaneously.
The UK’s approach must be similarly holistic. The ZEV mandate provides the regulatory foundation, but infrastructure policy, taxation frameworks and investment incentives must work in concert. Having seen how quickly markets can shift – both positively and negatively – in response to policy changes, I believe the UK has a narrow window to establish the conditions for sustained leadership.
A call for coordinated action
The path forward requires three immediate policy interventions:
- First, expand the RTFO to include electricity used in transport, creating sustainable funding for charging infrastructure whilst reducing government expenditure. This single change would unlock billions in private investment whilst accelerating deployment timelines. It would also be in keeping with the UK governments technology neutrality as renewable EV charging is a powering transport so allowing biofuels to benefit and not electricity, does seem counter to this.
- Second, address the VAT disparity between home and public charging to ensure equitable access to affordable electric mobility. This particularly benefits those without access to private charging, supporting social equity in the transition.
- Third, improve signage and wayfinding for charging infrastructure so that it can be visible to all drivers, those with and currently without EVs, to drive consumer confidence.
The window for leadership
The UK stands at a crossroads. We can build on our 2024 success to become the global leader in sustainable transport, or we can watch as better-coordinated policy frameworks in other markets attract the investment and innovation that should come here.
Having spent my career building energy infrastructure across multiple markets, I know that success goes to those who act decisively when opportunities arise. The UK has the market size, industrial capability and regulatory framework to lead the global EV transition. What we need now is the policy clarity and investment certainty that turns potential into reality.
The electric future is not a distant prospect – it’s happening now. The question is whether Britain will shape it or simply respond to it. From where I sit, the choice seems clear.
