More than 40 councils across England have been approved for over £185m in funding, as the government widens its scheme aimed at delivering electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure across the country.
Launched in March 2023, the £381m Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund is a key plank in the UK’s commitment to decarbonise transport. It is aimed at supporting local authorities to increase public EV chargepoints.
The government has now approved £185m plus in funding to 44 new councils across the country, from Torbay to Tees Valley, the government said.
This follows the approval of the first five local authority applications in February this year.
The government also announced today (Monday) that the £350 chargepoint grant is being broadened out to people without a driveway or dedicated parking spaces to ramp up the switch to EVs.
The grants provide up to 75 % of the cost of buying and installing chargepoints.
Minister for affordability and skills Amanda Solloway said: “This funding will make it easier for people to switch to electric vehicles.
“By bolstering our public charging network, we are not only making electric vehicles more accessible but also driving the transition towards a cleaner, greener future.”
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The government has also announced that Its EV infrastructure training course will launch this week, following a trial.
The course will encompass topics such as technology to procurement and is open to all local authorities.
Today (Monday) also marks the launch of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Forum, which will see ministers and AA president Edmund King discuss tackling barriers and speeding up the delivery of charging infrastructure.
Edmund King OBE, AA president, said: “AA surveys show that one of the main reasons why many drivers are hesitant towards switching to EVs is the perception that there are not enough charging points.
“To give confidence to drivers now and for the future, we need to overcome these barriers, which will help unlock cleaner, greener motoring for all. Extending grants to those without off-street parking is a step in the right direction.”
In Novermber last year, global EV charging company JOLT announced its UK launch, including a partnership with the London Borough of Barnet to provide a network of free fast and clean roadside charger stations to EV drivers for the first time.
In January this year, the UK government unveiled grants for schools to accelerate the rollout of electric vehicle charge points as part of its ‘Plan for Drivers’ scheme.
