The UK government has announced that it has pumped £20m of investment into adding 1,000 new electric vehicle charging points across nine local authorities, as part of a wider £450m scheme.
Through the Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) pilot scheme, local authorities and industry will work together to create new, commercial EV charging infrastructure for residents, from faster on-street chargepoints to larger petrol station-style charging hubs.
The winners of the pilot fund are Barnet; Dorset; Durham; Kent; Midlands Connect (with Lincolnshire as a lead authority); North Yorkshire; Nottinghamshire; Suffolk; Warrington.
The scheme will help residents without private driveways to have better access to EV chargers, as well as growing the charging network across the country, supporting the nation’s uptake of zero emission vehicles and enabling more people to drive and charge without fear of being caught short, no matter where they are.
The pilot is backed by £10m of government funding shared among the 9 winning local authorities in the first tranche of the planned £450m scheme, with winning pilot bids supported by an additional £9m in private funding. A further £1.9m will come from public funds across local authorities.
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 neighborhoods and cleaner air.”
