- The UK’s Department for Transport has announced a fresh £63 million package to boost the UK’s EV charging infrastructure, helping to make the switch to electric easier for both the public and businesses.
- This package is broken down into several improvements, including a £25 million cross-pavement charging scheme, the introduction of standardised road signage for public EV charging, grants for business depot charging, and charge point installations at NHS England sites.
- With the UK’s ZEV mandate less than five years away, the industry has recently been warning that more needs to be done to supercharge EV adoption – and this fresh investment looks like a step in the right direction, being received well by the industry.
UK builds on the £400m already invested in EV charging infrastructure
This new investment includes a significant £25 million scheme that will allow local authorities across England to apply for funding to install cross-pavement charging channels, allowing those without off-street parking to benefit from the significantly lower charging costs associated with domestic electricity. Trials of this technology are already taking place across the country, but this investment shows that cross-pavement charging is increasingly transforming from trials to a permanent solution to increasing EV adoption.
A crucial part of this new package in driving EV adoption and confidence is the implementation of public EV charging signage along major A-roads and motorways, much like the signposting we already see for petrol stations across the country. This action, which will be implemented immediately, has long been called for from voices within the EV charging sector. Whilst charging apps and built-in infotainment systems already do a great job in highlighting where drivers can charge up, this physical signage will make it clearly visible to all drivers that opportunities to recharge on the road are increasingly frequent – with over 82,000 public charge points now live across the UK.
The government will also launch a new depot charging grant scheme, allowing businesses to apply for funding to install charging infrastructure to support the introduction of EVs in their fleet – whether that be electric vans, electric buses, or electric HGVs. Finally, the government is also creating an £8 million fund to enable NHS England to make a wider switch to electric vehicles, funding over 1,200 charge point sockets across 211 NHS sites in the country.
How has the EV industry reacted?
Ian Johnston, CEO of Osprey, reacted:
“Signage impacts ALL the UK’s drivers because consumers need to see it to believe it. Osprey have tirelessly highlighted the benefit that clear EV road signage would bring to drivers looking to make the switch and to the charging businesses installing the critical infrastructure underpinning transport decarbonisation.
This is a welcome first step and we look forward to continuing to work closely with ministers and officials to achieve clear signage for the hundreds of high-quality EV charging hubs being opened across the nation.”
Kerbo Charge Co-founder, Michael Goulden, commented on the £25m pavement charging fund:
We at Kerbo Charge are delighted by the news of the Government grant for cross-pavement charging solutions. For far too long, over 40% of UK households have faced an unfair barrier to EV adoption because they don’t have a driveway. Currently, they must choose between paying high prices to charge their car at inconvenient public charge points, or holding on to their polluting petrol or diesel vehicles and directly contributing to the climate emergency.
The ability to charge safely, cheaply and conveniently at home will make a huge difference to these motorists and should significantly boost the rate of EV adoption. Kerbo Charge has a waiting list of 12,000 drivers all desperate to have one of our channels installed outside their home, but are currently unable to do so either because of affordability or because their local authority has not yet authorised it. This funding announcement addresses both of these issues head-on, demonstrating the Government’s backing for cross-pavement charging and subsidising the cost for tens of thousands of UK households.”
Quentin Willson, Founder of FairCharge, commented:
“Having long campaigned for charging signs on our roads I’m overjoyed to see that finally non-EV drivers will see that there is a charging infrastructure to give them the confidence to switch. Years of not having any charging signage on our roads has helped stoke the myth ‘there’s no infrastructure’. This is a very welcome development.”
Vicky Read, CEO of ChargeUK, added:
“With 82,000 public charge points already installed across the UK, this positive action on strategic road signage will help more drivers see the extensive charging network that’s rapidly being built across the country. This has been a priority for our industry and will boost consumer confidence in making the switch to electric vehicles.
Our members are investing £6 billion to ensure the deployment of charging infrastructure stays ahead of demand. Today’s announcement shows government recognising the vital role charging plays in the transition, and we look forward to working together to maintain the UK’s position as Europe’s leading EV market.”
