Backed by the £20m Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) pilot scheme, local authorities and businesses will work together to create new, commercial EV charging infrastructure for UK residents.
This will result in faster on-street chargepoints and larger petrol station-style charging hubs spread out across the nation.
More than 1,000 chargepoints will be introduced. These will appear in Barnet, Dorset, Durham, Kent, Midlands Connect (with Lincolnshire as a lead authority), North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Suffolk, and Warrington.
The scheme is the latest move from the government as part of its drive to encourage more motorists to switch to an EV and reach Net Zero goals by2050.
RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes said: “We know that there are many drivers who do not have driveways or any form of off-street parking, so investing in streetside charging is an absolute necessity.
“Drivers can also look forward to the prospect of local charging hubs which will give them somewhere to quickly charge their vehicles without needing to drive any considerable distance. The goal must be to spark electric vehicle uptake by creating an excellent charging infrastructure that caters for everyone’s needs.”
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The scheme will help EV owners who do not have a private driveway, and rely on public charging networks across.
The new LEVI fund builds on the success of the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) which has seen nearly 2,900 chargepoints installed so far with funding provided for approaching 10,000 additional chargepoints in the future.
Decarbonisation Minister Trudy Harrison said: “We want to expand and grow our world-leading network of EV chargepoints, working closely with industry and local government, making it even easier for those without driveways to charge their electric vehicles and support the switch to cleaner travel.
“This scheme will help to level up electric vehicle infrastructure across the country, so that everyone can benefit from healthier neighbourhoods and cleaner air. The scheme will allow local authorities to provide feedback on how to grow the network and the role the private sector can play.”
Following the announcement, Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive said: “The LEVI pilot funding is a welcome step that will give drivers in the winning areas greater confidence to make the switch to electric motoring, and will hopefully help inspire operators and local authorities across the UK to increase the roll out of chargepoints.
“With manufacturers bringing ever-growing numbers of plug-in vehicles to UK roads, we can’t risk lacklustre infrastructure holding back Britain’s world-leading electric vehicle ambitions. We need a universal right to charge electric vehicles, for all drivers, wherever they live, wherever they travel, and whatever their needs.”
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In order to stay ahead of the latest prices to charge your EV – check out RAC Charge Watch.
This RAC initiative monitors the average cost of charging an EV on a pay-as-you-go, non-subscription basis at a public rapid or ultra-rapid charger.
It tracks price changes over time to make sure drivers get a fair deal.
Are you looking at making the switch to EV? Will an increase in the number of chargepoints accelerate this trend? Leave your comments below.
