£63M boost for Britain’s electric vehicle revolution

A pioneering £25M scheme for local authorities will expand access to cheaper at-home charging. This will provide access to cheaper household rates, allowing consumers to save up to £1,500 a year compared to running a petrol or diesel car, transforming how thousands of households without driveways power up their electric cars.

The innovative cross-pavement technology will allow cables to run safely beneath pavements, connecting homes directly to parked vehicles, enabling more families to tap into cheaper domestic electricity rates for as little as 2 pence per mile even if they don’t have a driveway.

The fund is the latest move to bolster the UK’s growing charging network which has reached a record 82,000 public chargepoints, with a further 100,000 expected to be installed as a result of the government’s Local EV Infrastructure Fund and £6Bn of private investment committed to 2030.

To ensure the savings the EV transition can bring are felt in the public sector too, the NHS in England is also receiving a major sustainability upgrade with an £8M fund to power the electrification of ambulances and medical fleets across over 200 NHS sites, saving millions in costs which can be invested into patient care.

This investment underpins the government’s Plan for Change mission to kickstart economic growth and make life easier for working people, ensuring the transition to net zero delivers for working families whilst creating good jobs and driving economic growth across all regions of the UK.

Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: “We are making it easier and cheaper to own an electric vehicle. We know access to charging is a barrier for people thinking of making the switch, so we are tackling that head on so that everyone – whether or not they have a driveway – can access the benefits of going electric.

“Our investment is about more than just charging points – it’s about charging up Britain’s economy. I’m proud that through this boost, we are helping deliver cheaper bills for families, massive savings for the NHS to reinvest in patient care, and thousands of new green jobs.

“This is what our Plan for Change mission to kickstart Britain’s economy looks like in practice. We’re not just boosting charging infrastructure, we’re building a fairer, cleaner future where every family can benefit from cheaper, greener transport, whilst creating thousands of good jobs across the country.”

In a pioneering move to help EV drivers plug into the rapidly expanding charging network, government is also modernising EV charging signage on major roads. EV charging hubs have more than doubled since the beginning of 2023 and immediate changes will allow larger EV charging hubs to be signposted from major A-roads for the first time. Government is committed to boosting charging for long journeys, with £400M announced in the Spending Review to support charging infrastructure, including on the strategic road network.

Alongside the boosts for electric car drivers, the government is also launching a major new grant scheme to help businesses install charging points at depots nationwide, supporting the nation’s heavy goods vehicles, vans and coach drivers in the transition to zero emissions.

The action follows recent updates to the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate to make it easier for the sector to switch to electric as part of government’s ongoing work to back British manufacturing. With over 1.2 million people employed in the freight and logistics sector in the UK alone, today’s announcement is the latest move to keep industry at the forefront of international competition in the face of global economic headwinds.

Over 1,200 new charging sockets will deliver a more efficient, modern health system whilst generating millions in cost savings over the next two decades for the taxpayer on maintenance and fuel costs – valuable savings that can be prioritised for patient care and help rebuild the NHS.

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