Rollout of EV chargepoints accelerates with new government cash

Richard Aucock, Contributor
Wed, 21 Feb 2024

The Government has released fresh cash to help boost the installation of electric car chargepoints at schools, colleges and nurseries.

The aim is to both increase the number of EV chargepoints for staff and visitors, and help schools make cash by opening up EV chargers to the public.

Part of the Workplace Charging Scheme, the new grant now covers up to 75% of the cost to buy and install chargepoints, up to £2500 per socket.

This is a significant increase on the previous £350 grant.

The grants are for state-funded schools and education institutes, and they must have dedicated off-street parking facilities.

They would be able to keep all money they made from opening up electric car chargepoints to the public.

And independent schools thinking about boosting their own electric car charging facilities aren’t left out – they can apply for cash through the electric vehicle infrastructure grant for SMEs.

Technology and decarbonisation minister Anthony Browne says this is not the only thing the government is doing to boost the rollout of electric car chargepoints, either.

The first payments from the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund have recently been made to local authorities across the country.

The aim is to install “thousands” of new chargers in local boroughs. To support the initiative, the Government has funded 100 dedicated EV officers to help with chargepoint procurement.

Local authorities can also send staff on an electric vehicle infrastructure training course, which opens in mid-March. "Government is investing alongside industry in EV infrastructure to ensure we meet our climate change commitments," says Browne.

Easier EV charging is also being boosted by new laws mandating that prices across chargepoints are transparent and easy to compare.

It requires new chargepoints to have contactless payment options, rather than being reliant on a myriad of apps.

Consultation has also opened to look at ways of speeding up chargepoint installation. Currently, EV chargepoint operators require a licence to carry out works, which can take months to obtain.

The Government proposals would see them have the right to carry out street works using a permit instead – which can be obtained much faster, often in a matter of days.

Ask HJ

Are electric cars are here to stay?

Do you think EV's are here to stay and will the high repair costs plus insurance make them unaffordable for the masses? Also have designers lost the will to live as the front of vehicles look like sardine tins and extremely horrible?

Yes, EVs are the future. Repair costs aren't particularly high - yes, the batteries are expensive (but dropping in price as the technology improves and becomes more widespread), while mechanically there's a lot less to go wrong than a petrol or diesel car. No, I don't think designers have lost the will to live...

Answered by Andrew Brady

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