From Tesla’s Model S in 2012 to today’s easing of planning rules, electric car adoption remains stubbornly slow. Infrastructure tweaks won’t change that overnight.
There is no doubt that the government’s recent move to ease planning permission for pavement-charging and curbside EV bays, as reported in the article in The Times today, signals a desire to accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles (EVs). But we should pause before celebrating this as evidence of the long-awaited “EV revolution”. In truth, the transition remains far slower, more incremental and more uncertain than the language of revolution implies.
First, despite high expectations and heavy policy support, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) still account for only around 21–25 % of new car sales in the UK. According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), full BEVs made up about 22.1 % of new registrations year-to-date in 2025. Even when you include plug-in hybrids, the total “electrified” share remains well short of 50 %. That means the vast majority of buyers still choose petrol, diesel or hybrid vehicles. If this were truly a revolution, we would expect a much steeper take-off.
Second, the notion that this is a sudden “revolution” is misleading. The premium four-door all-electric sedan from Tesla, the Model S, was first delivered in 2012. That means we have already had more than a decade of “electric car era” and yet we still see modest penetration. If a revolution needs rapid, sweeping change, then this has been more of a protracted evolution.
Third, the article implies that policy changes to curbside charging infrastructure will unlock mass adoption. Certainly, better infrastructure is a necessary enabler—but it is far from sufficient. Consumer concerns remain: purchase cost, real-world range, charging convenience and residual values all continue to dampen uptake. If the new planning rules remove one barrier (the pavement crossing permit) they do not resolve the broader set of issues that still hold many buyers back.
Fourth, one should beware of over-reliance on regulatory quotas or mandates as the sole driver of adoption. The UK’s ZEV mandate aims for higher shares, but the flexibility built into it suggests that industry and policy recognise the challenges of getting to much higher levels of BEV sales quickly. Without strong consumer momentum, incentives and infrastructure, regulatory targets alone may miss their mark.
In short, yes: EVs are increasingly part of the automotive landscape and their adoption is meaningful. But calling this a “revolution” risks exaggerating the pace, simplifying the structural barriers and overlooking the fact that we are still very much in a transitional phase – one that began over a decade ago and is far from complete. Until EVs command a clear majority of new-car purchases, infrastructure changes such as pavement charging, while welcome, can not alone justify the hype of a revolution.
