Charge Up Change

The Campaign

Charge Up Change is a campaign led by EVA England the independent EV driver’s association. It was designed to amplify the voices of current and prospective electric vehicle drivers in shaping EV policies.  

Charge Up Change was launched in response to growing evidence that while EV adoption is accelerating, key barriers remain preventing drivers from switching to electric and a stronger background policy and regulatory framework is needed to ensure all households can access EVs, and to prevent the transition to electric becoming a two-tier transition. 

In early 2025, EVA England surveyed drivers and identified these barriers: 

• New EVs are still too expensive for many. 

• It is hard to access the second-hand market with confidence. 

• Public charging is too costly, and half of those without driveways pay more to run their EV than their petrol and diesel car. 

• Renters and leaseholders often cannot charge at home. 

• Public charging isn’t always accessible, reliable, or easy to use. 

The Charge Up Change campaign empowers drivers to contact their MP, raising the issues that impact them most, and calling on their elected representatives to take meaningful action for EV drivers. 

The Change

Charge Up Change has helped turn real-world driver experiences into collective advocacy, strengthening the case for more inclusive EV policies. By providing a simple way for constituents to contact their MPs with a clear set of policy asks, the campaign has increased direct engagement between EV drivers and their representatives on the issues that matter most to them. 

Charge Up Change has supported more informed and constructive conversations in Parliament and within Government, grounding policy debate in the lived experiences of drivers. It formed the foundation for EVA England’s work with MPs to ensure that the accessibility of public charging was written into law last year and to provide evidence to the national government on the charging divide, leading to the launch of the Government’s cost of public charging review.  

The campaign has also demonstrated significant public appetite for change and shown MPs that their constituents care about EV affordability, charging access, and renters’ rights. 

Systemic change takes time, but this campaign has played an important role in making sure drivers are not overlooked and that their voices are part of the policy process. It has also shifted the conversation from whether the EV transition is needed to what it should look like, and who it must work for. 

The Future

EVA England intends to build on the momentum of Charge Up Change by continuing to engage MPs on the barriers facing EV drivers. 

Following a more recent survey of drivers, EVA England is looking to update the policy asks within the campaign to match drivers’ changing priorities – with the potential for a new pay per mile scheme for EV drivers being a new and difficult policy that may leave drivers out of pocket and invite MPs to meet with the EVA England team at a Parliamentary event in June this year, where EVA England will launch their new drivers strategy.