Poor digital connectivity could hamper the success of national electric vehicle charger rollout plans, according to new research by connectivity consultancy FarrPoint.

Mobile connectivity is often required at public electric vehicle charge points, FarrPoint revealed, with users forced to use an app or web page to pay for their session.

And without a strong 4G or 5G signal, this means that many drivers simply won’t be able to charge their vehicle.

Additionally, FarrPoint’s research highlighted safety concerns. Poor mobile signal could leave users unable to access support if something goes wrong during their charging session, or if they feel unsafe in locations such as poorly lit corners of car parks.

The FarrPoint survey of 4G signal coverage at 96 public EV charging locations across Scotland and the North of England found that one in five locations had only a 50% chance of getting mobile coverage.

Similarly, only 67% of locations had access to mobile coverage from all four mobile operators while one-in-20 received no mobile coverage at all.

The findings come just weeks after an investigation by BBC Disclosure uncovered faults in nearly 25% of Scotland’s EV charging points.

Steve Smith, Head of Smart Places at FarrPoint, believes that if digital connectivity is not taken into consideration at electric vehicle charger points, there could be significant issues with not only the efficiency of the charging network but also the safety of their users.

He said: “Our research backs up my own anecdotal experience as an EV driver. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve found the display showing a “communication problem”, or having an insufficient mobile signal to even start a charging session via an app.

“This isn’t just a rural issue; many urban charging point locations suffer from the same mobile connectivity problems, and in many cases, the situation is not improving.”

Smith added: “Action must be taken to improve mobile coverage at charge points already in place, or an alternative solution will have to be developed.”

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FarrPoint’s research follows the launch of a campaign by online car marketplace heycar, which called for the Government to introduce minimum safety standards at electric vehicle charger locations.

The survey of 500 drivers at motoring advice website HonestJohn.co.uk found almost 90% of respondents had chosen not to use a charge point because they felt unsafe at the location.

Smith said: “Operators should be thinking about ways to make the EV charging infrastructure safer, as lack of connectivity can also cause potential safety issues at charging points.

“CCTV requires stable, high bandwidth connectivity to operate, and the emergency contact button at a charging point also needs reliable connectivity to ensure it works when required.”

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