The first five local authorities in England have been approved for payments, totalling £14.2 million, to develop electric vehicle (EV) chargepoint infrastructure, following successful applications to the UK Government’s local electric vehicle infrastructure (LEVI) fund.

Following approval by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), the funding will support local authorities to work with the chargepoint industry to improve the availability of charging for electric vehicle drivers who don’t have access to off-street parking.

Launched in March 2023, the £381 million LEVI fund is a key part of the UK’s commitment to decarbonise transport. With the UK’s zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate requiring 100% of new cars and new vans sold in Great Britain to be zero emission by 2035, the LEVI Fund is vital for supporting local authorities to increase public EV chargepoints, particularly for residents who don’t have off-street parking available.

The local authorities approved for a total of £14,221,000 in capital chargepoint funding to date are: Bedford, East Sussex, North Yorkshire, and the London Boroughs Hackney and Hounslow.

The Department for Transport (DfT) and the LEVI Support Body (Energy Saving Trust, PA Consulting and Cenex) are providing ongoing support and guidance to all LEVI Fund applicants. Further announcements on successful local authorities who applied for funding this financial year are expected in the coming months.

Dr. Sagar Mody, technical consultant for infrastructure strategy at Cenex said: “This is a significant milestone in the LEVI journey to realise the vision of universal chargepoint provision across England. The strategic focus of the fund will enable public authorities commission thousands of chargepoints in their local areas to support the uptake of electric vehicles, contributing to better air quality for all.”

Hugh Pickerill, programme manager for EV grants and infrastructure at Energy Saving Trust, said: “We’re pleased to see this funding go to innovative projects that will deliver thousands of chargepoints, increasing provision across England to meet the rapidly growing demand for electric vehicles. This funding is instrumental to accelerate EV uptake, and to contribute to improving air quality nationwide through lower emissions.”

In addition, as part of the LEVI funding, just under 100 dedicated EV officers have been newly recruited to support chargepoint procurement, aiding local authorities in building a skilled workforce and delivering their charging projects. An electric vehicle infrastructure (EVI) training course is currently being trialled by local authorities. The full course, which will be launched in March 2024, will equip local authority officers with the required knowledge to deliver chargepoint projects in their areas. The course is open to all local authorities and will cover key topics such as: EVI technology, users and stakeholders, EVI strategy, EVI procurement, deployment, operations and much more.

More information on the acceleration of public EV chargepoints can be found on the GOV.UK website.

Further information on the LEVI fund can be found on our website.