NEW laws aimed at helping electric vehicle (EV) drivers have been passed.

The Government said millions of EV drivers will benefit from easier and more reliable public charging thanks to the new rules, which were approved by MPs on October 24.

Regulations set to come into force aim to ensure prices across chargepoints are transparent and easy to compare and that a large proportion of new public chargepoints have contactless payment options.

Providers will also be required to open up their data, so drivers can easily find an available chargepoint that meets their needs.

It will open up data for apps, online maps and in-vehicle software, making it easier for drivers to locate chargepoints, check their charging speeds and determine whether they are working and available for use.

These measures come as the country reaches record levels of public charging infrastructure, with numbers growing 42% year on year.

Technology and decarbonisation minister, Jesse Norman, said the new rules would help the UK make the transition to 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in Great Britain to be zero emission by 2030 – reaching 100% by 2035.

“Over time, these new regulations will improve EV charging for millions of drivers, helping them find the chargepoints they want, providing price transparency so that they can compare the cost of different charging options, and updating payment methods,” the minister said.

“They will make the switch to electric easier than ever for drivers, support the economy and help the UK reach its 2035 goals.”

Once the regulations come into force, drivers will also be able to contact free 24/7 helplines for any issues accessing charging on public roads.

James Court, CEO of the Electric Vehicle Association England, said: “Better reliability, clearer pricing, easier payments, plus the potentially game-changing opportunities of open data are all a major step forward for EV drivers and should make the UK one of the best places to charge in the world.

“As the rollout of charging infrastructure gathers momentum, these regulations will ensure quality and help put consumers needs at the heart of this transition.”

The laws follow the government’s recent announcement of a range of measures to speed up the installation of chargepoints through the Plan for Drivers, including reviewing the grid connections process for installation and extending chargepoint grants for schools.

The government said it also continues to support the rollout of charging infrastructure in areas of the country.

Applications are currently open to local authorities in the first round of the £381 million Local EV Infrastructure fund, which will deliver tens of thousands more chargepoints and transform the availability of charging for drivers without off-street parking.

In addition, the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) is open to all UK local authorities.