New measures to support EV drivers from the government’s Plan for Drivers have launched today, including grants for schools, cash for councils, and new proposals to boost electric vehicle chargepoint numbers.
Technology and Decarbonisation Minister Anthony Browne will launch support for greener schools in Nottinghamshire today, with a new grant providing up to 75% of the cost to buy and install electric vehicle chargepoints, up to £2,500 per socket, up from the previous £350.
Paid for by the Department for Transport, the grant forms part of the Workplace Charging Scheme and is available for state-funded schools, colleges, nurseries and academies to boost chargepoint facilities for staff and visitors.
This could also help schools to generate revenue by making their chargepoints available to the public.
EV infrastructure is crucial for a net zero transition
According to industry statistics, more drivers are switching to electric vehicles, with fully electric vehicles accounting for over 16% of the new UK car market in 2023.
The number of plug-in vehicles in the UK has also risen to over 1.2 million, of which 770,000 are fully battery-electric, meaning more and more drivers are making the switch.
As this number continues to grow, the government is investing alongside industry in infrastructure, including electric vehicle chargepoints, to ensure we meet our climate change commitments whilst charting the fairest path to net zero.
New laws recently came into force to provide EV drivers with easier and more reliable public charging, mandating that prices across chargepoints are transparent and easy to compare and that many new public chargepoints have contactless payment options.
This comes as over 53,000 public chargepoints have been installed across the UK, demonstrating the progress that has been made in the switch to electric.
Boosting electric vehicle chargepoints in local communities
The school’s grant is for state-funded schools and education institutions, which must have dedicated off-street parking facilities – applications can be made online.
Independent schools may apply for funding through the Workplace Charging Scheme and the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure grant for SMEs.
The government is also delivering the £381m Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund to local authorities nationwide. The first capital payments for charging projects have been approved by three local authorities from East Sussex to North Yorkshire and two London boroughs, bringing the total funding for these areas to more than £14.2m.
The funding will support the installation of thousands of new electric vehicle chargepoints, ensuring the rollout continues at pace to support drivers in every area of the country.
Through our LEVI capability funding, almost 100 dedicated EV officers have been newly recruited to support chargepoint procurement.
To aid local authorities in building a skilled workforce and delivering their charging projects, the government is also launching the electric vehicle infrastructure (EVI) training course for their officers, which will open to all local authorities in mid-March following a successful trial.
Technology and Decarbonisation Minister Anthony Browne said: “We’re getting on with delivering our Plan for Drivers, and this latest set of measures will mean EV owners everywhere benefit from easier and more convenient access to electric vehicle chargepoints.
“This government has already spent over £2bn to ensure a smooth switch to EVs, and we’re committed to supporting drivers as we transition towards net zero in a proportionate way.”
