The Filter That Should Have Existed Years Ago

The Gap Nobody Was Filling

When we started unifying the 40+ UK EV charging networks into Volta, we inherited a problem that most apps simply ignore. Charging networks record accessible bays. Some record them properly. Others don't record them at all. And almost no consumer app makes it easy to filter for them before you arrive.

What does an accessible bay mean anyway? For a wheelchair user, it's not just a wider space. It's proximity to the charging unit, smooth ground, shelter from weather, clear sightlines, and sometimes a functioning payment kiosk at reachable height. Different disabilities need different things. A driver with arthritis needs a charger she can operate without grip. A blind driver needs one with clear audio feedback. A wheelchair user needs accessible infrastructure around it, not just the bay itself.

Most charging apps show you a pin on a map. They tell you there's a "yes" or "no" for accessibility. But they don't surface whether that bay has actually been used recently by someone disabled, whether the payment system is navigable, or whether the site itself meets the Blue Badge user's real-world needs.

What We Built, and Why It Matters

Volta's accessibility filters let drivers narrow the map to bays marked as accessible. That sounds simple. It's not, because we had to make a choice: do we trust the network data as it is, or do we build something that acknowledges the gaps?

We chose both. The filters surface what the networks report. But we also show you total cost before you arrive, parking details, and whether there's an arrive-to-charge check-in step. Why? Because an accessible bay is only truly accessible if you can reach it, park there, pay for it, and charge without unexpected friction. If the network's data says "accessible" but doesn't mention that the site has a three-tier car park with no lift, the filter has failed you.

The accessibility filter lets you see which chargers have accessible bays designated. You can isolate those on the map, then look at the fuller picture: is this site open twenty-four hours? What's the true total cost, including parking and idle fees? Are there customer reviews or photos? Can you pre-check-in with Arrive-to-Charge so you're not left waiting at the kiosk?

It's not perfect. Networks are still inconsistent with their data. But it's a start, and it's a start that respects the user enough to give them the full picture, not just a checkbox.

Why This Isn't a Niche Feature

I'll be honest: designing for accessibility filters is not a profitable feature. It doesn't drive sign-ups. It doesn't unlock a premium tier. It doesn't generate marketing buzz. What it does is solve a genuine problem for disabled drivers who have spent years watching every other app treat them as an afterthought.

In the UK, around 2.7 million people hold a Blue Badge. Many of them drive electric. Most of them use Volta to find chargers, just like any other driver. But they also use it differently. They can't afford to drive to a charging hub and discover there's no accessible bay. They can't spend forty minutes hunting. Their planning has to be tighter, more precise, less forgiving of a map that gets it wrong.

That's not a niche constraint. That's a design requirement. And once you design for that, everyone benefits. Drivers with arthritis, elderly drivers, drivers with chronic fatigue all benefit from a system that shows you exactly what you're getting before you arrive. Drivers with young children in the car appreciate it. Fleet managers appreciate it because it means fewer failed trips and better route planning for all their drivers.

What We're Learning

Since we launched accessibility filters, we've had conversations with accessibility advocates, disability networks, and individual drivers who use the app. The feedback is consistent: the filter is helpful, but it's only as good as the data underneath it. Networks need to be more rigorous about recording what "accessible" actually means at each site.

We're pushing on that. We're also aware that the filter solves for discovery, but accessibility is bigger. It's about payment systems, customer support, site infrastructure, and network policies. Volta can't solve all of that. What it can do is make it visible, so drivers know what they're choosing and can plan accordingly.

The filters also live alongside other tools in the app. Journey planning with route-level charging visibility matters for everyone, but it's especially important for drivers who need to plan their stops carefully. Fleet managers can use policy controls to ensure their drivers have access to genuinely accessible chargers. Community hosting opens up private chargers, which sometimes offer better accessibility than public networks because the hosts control the entire experience.

The Conversation That Needs to Keep Happening

We're one app. We can aggregate data, surface filters, and make it easier to find accessible bays. But we can't fix the underlying inconsistency in how networks record and maintain accessible infrastructure. That requires networks to prioritise it, regulators to mandate standards, and the whole sector to treat accessibility as a basic requirement, not an optional extra.

What we can do is make it visible. When a driver filters for accessible bays and finds only three options in a twenty-mile radius, that's data. When a charger is marked accessible but has no shelter, no payment access, and hasn't been checked in a year, that's also data. Volta surfaces that. It makes the problem harder to ignore.