- £3.6 million triples public EV charging by 2025, boosting accessibility and convenience for residents.
- OXLEVI initiative expands accessible EV infrastructure, prioritising standard chargers and targeting areas lacking home facilities.
- LEVI funding empowers EV deployment on highways and grants for community microhubs, enhancing accessibility and adoption.
Oxfordshire builds towards an electric future with massive funding win for public EV charging
A £3.6 million injection from the Department for Transport is driving Oxfordshire to an electric future. The funding, part of the Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) bid, will triple the county’s public chargers by 2025. That’s over 1,300 new units within the next year.
Led by Oxfordshire County Council in partnership with district councils, this is a crucial stride in the county’s decarbonisation. The investment, totalling over £10 million, seeks to address the burgeoning demand for EV charging points throughout the region.
Councillor Anna Railton, Oxford City Council’s Cabinet Member for Zero Carbon Oxford and Climate Justice, said:
“This funding will help ensure that electric vehicle charging infrastructure is consistent across both Oxford city and county by aligning it under one countywide approach, while securing the principles set out in the Oxford EV Infrastructure Strategy – with access as equitable, convenient and easy as possible for residents. We are looking forward to collaborating with the county council with their rollout within the city to help meet Oxford’s electric vehicle charging needs.”
Dubbed OXLEVI, the program’s primary objective is to establish a robust and accessible EV charging infrastructure spanning Oxfordshire. By prioritising standard 7kW chargers, the project aims to cater to residents lacking home charging facilities. It will offer discounted rates for overnight charging, and, in addition to standard units, the scheme will incorporate rapid chargers and specialised bays.
These will be tailored to van drivers, disabled individuals, and EV car clubs. These installations will predominantly occur in off-street parking locations like council car parks. They will leverage the success of previous initiatives such as the Park and Charge project.
Moreover, the LEVI funding empowers Oxfordshire County Council to take charge of EV infrastructure deployment on highways. This includes the implementation of phase two of the Go Ultra Low Oxford project. This phase will introduce a minimum of 100 additional chargers in Oxford. It will augment the countywide expansion efforts.
To ensure equitable access to EV charging facilities, the councils intend to launch a grant scheme. This scheme will enable parish councils and associations to establish community EV charging microhubs at village halls and community centres. These will cater to areas lacking suitable off-street parking.
Anthony Browne, Technology and Decarbonisation Minister, said:
“This Government has a plan to help speed up the installation of EV chargepoints, which we’re getting on and delivering. This dedicated funding to local councils is part of our plan to ensure people can switch from a petrol or diesel car to an EV when they choose to do so.”
With the tendering process for suppliers imminent, Oxfordshire residents anticipate a swift rollout of new public EV charging infrastructure. This aligns with the government’s broader strategy to promote EV adoption across the country. Think of this as a showcase of what our industry can achieve when the appropriate funding is properly used by visionary people.
