An EV charging bay is a parking bay for electric vehicles to park while they charge their cars from a charging point.
With over 13,000 electric vehicle (EV) public chargers now available to car owners in the UK, it’s no surprise we’ve also seen an increase from retail outlets requesting new EV parking bays in their car parks. In fact, 100 years since the first petrol station opened, there are over 9000 EV charging stations throughout the UK (as at 2019), which now outnumbers traditional fuel stations by a few hundred.
With the Government planning on banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2040, it is expected that there will be at least one million electric cars on UK roads by 2050.
With that incredible figure in mind, you can expect to see car park markings change significantly to allow for further EV charging points.
There aren’t currently any set rules on colours or size of EV charging bays, other than that dimensions should follow that of normal parking bays. That said, it is important to add space for cables and easy charge-point access.
It is also important to consider how many cars will be able to access a single EV charger. Ideally, each charge-point should be positioned to serve as many EVs as possible. Most cables are between 4-8 metres long, so that let that be your guide when planning layout.
When considering the style and design of your car park markings, it is essential that the EV bays are clearly differentiated from other parking bays by colour, signage and EV logos on the surface or flooring, so they are clearly visible to drivers and pedestrians.
As one of the country’s leading car park marking contractors, the Roadgrip Car Parks crew have been busy marking these new bays throughout the UK and, with the rise in electric car charging points having grown by five times since 2011, this is only set to continue at a pace.
As you can see in the photo taken from our recent job in Battersea, the EV bays stand out clearly, having been applied by hand using long-lasting, fade-resistant line marking paint.
We are also seeing an increase in retail outlets and business parks using brand colours and designs throughout car parks to strengthen their identity amongst visitors. EV bays can easily incorporate these colours and styles, too.
If you would like to know more, or need advice on including EV charging bays into your car park, or you’re looking for a dependable markings contractor to manage your car park marking, painting, waterproofing, resurfacing and design, please contact the Roadgrip Car Parks team on the form below or take a look at other projects.