EV drivers without their own private driveways and off-street parking will soon have much better access to charge points, as the government has announced a £20 million investment into 1,000 publicly-available charge points.
The move comes as part of a pilot scheme known as the Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) fund. Nine local authorities have been chosen to work alongside private firms to create new EV charging infrastructure for residents, from faster on-street charge points to larger petrol station-style charging hubs.
But who is going to be the first to benefit from this investment?
Where Will the New EV Charge Points Be Installed?
The nine local authorities designated winners of the pilot scheme funding are as follows:
- Barnet
- Dorset
- Durham
- Kent
- Midlands Connect (with Lincolnshire as a lead authority)
- North Yorkshire
- Nottinghamshire
- Suffolk
- Warrington
In these regions, drivers can expect to benefit from an uptick in the number of public EV charge points available, as well as an improved variety of charging options. On-street parking will see an influx of new charge points, while larger hubs will be installed in strategic locations, making long-distance travel much easier.
Will There Be More Charge Point Funding Across More Local Authorities?
Yes, this specific pilot is backed by £10 million of government funding shared among the nine winning local authorities, with winning pilot bids securing an additional £9 million in private funding.
However, this is just the first tranche of a planned £450 million scheme to improve the UK’s EV infrastructure. The government has said that they will continue to invest in local authorities who put forward the best bids, with the aim being to increase the number of public charge points to 300,000 by 2030 – ten times today’s number.
In the meantime, if you live in one of the nine local authorities above, keep an eye out for new charge points popping up in your area. As an OLEV-approved charge point installation company, we’re hoping to be part of the Warrington rollout – we will update you in due course if we are successful in our bid.
Are There Any Other Funding Options Available to Local Authorities for Public Charge Points?
Yes, the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) provides grant funding to local authorities for the installation of on-street residential EV charge points in their area. The grant aims to provide EV charging infrastructure to electric car drivers who don’t have access to off-street parking.
The scheme provides up to £7,500 towards the installation of an EV charge point, with up to £13,00 available for cases where electrical connection costs are exceptionally high.
Contact Applegarth Today to Discuss Your Public Charging Infrastructure
Whether you’re a local authority looking to take advantage of government funding or a private organisation wanting to install charge points on your premises, we can help. Our company is OLEV-approved to install residential, public, and commercial EV charge points, and we have a wealth of experience in managing large-scale charging infrastructure projects.
Get in touch with our team today to discuss your requirements on 0151 649 8350 or via email at info@applegarth.co.uk.
