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A new charter for public EV charging has been created, with the aim of improving the reliability, transparency, accessibility, and usability of the UK's network.
The charter has been created by campaign group FairCharge and the RAC, with support from organisations including trade body Recharge UK, and EV disability champion ChargeSafe.
FairCharge and the RAC are calling for the charter to be adopted as a minimum set of standards for the government, local authorities, landowners and chargepoint operators.
The charter's recommendations include a 99% charger reliability guarantee, clear information for consumers on working and non-working chargers, and a 48-hour repair target.
In addition, the charter calls for signs on major roads and motorways to show locations of the fastest chargers, and for chargepoint operators to ensure the price per kWh of a charge is always clearly displayed.
The charter also says chargers should be be located in safe, well-lit areas, and be accessible to all drivers, regardless of physical abilities. It also says parking operators and local councils should make their EV parking terms and conditions clear and unambiguous, and not allow parking while charging to become a revenue stream.
The charter also says that payment should be possible using contactless bank and debit cards without needing to download apps, with digital receipts showing any VAT element easily available.
FairCharge founder Quentin Willson said: "We've produced this charter after talking to hundreds of EV drivers and it represents their wish list for building a world-class public charging network.
"Government, operators, councils, and local authorities should reflect on what these pioneering drivers of EVs have told us. Only by carefully listening to those who have already driven electric cars for years will this country get the charging infrastructure and EV policies to be fit for the future."
RAC spokesman Rod Dennis said: "As the market for electric cars really starts to open up in the UK, it's vital we have enough public chargers in enough locations to make charging as straightforward as possible.
"But quality is as important as quantity: drivers will quickly become frustrated if they discover chargers that aren't working, or they can't clearly see how much they're going to pay before they plug in. And for those with specific accessibility needs, having chargers that meet the new British Standard [a voluntary measure on charging accessibility introduced last year] is vital.
"This charter - a first for the UK - addresses all these issues and more which is why we're calling on the whole sector to get behind it and help deliver an electric car charging experience that puts drivers first."
FairCharge and the RAC are also continuing to campaign for a reduction in VAT on public charging from 20% to 5%, and the charter includes a recommendation to the Treasury to reduce the cost to consumers without driveways who rely on public devices - a change that they say would have a negligible impact on the government's finances.
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