The Government has pledged £10m funding to accelerate England’s EV charger rollout in grid-constrained areas.

The new funding, announced by the Department for Transport (DfT) and Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), will help pioneer projects to allow electric vehicle charging devices to operate without large grid connections or even off-grid. This will speed up charge point rollout on motorways and major A-roads, including in more rural areas across the country.

Private operators are invited to apply for a share of the funding, which will be used to develop innovative energy sources and technologies, avoiding the need for expensive grid upgrades at ‘harder-to-power’ locations.

Solutions could include combinations of renewable energy sources such as solar, alongside energy storage systems such as batteries, enabling existing energy supplies to go further.

The solution will be targeted at hard-to-treat, grid-constrained sites where high costs or long timescales would otherwise delay charge point provision.

Keir Mather, Minister for Aviation, Maritime and Decarbonisation Minister, said: “We’re powering up the future of driving with £10m for cutting-edge tech to get more charge points on motorways and major A-roads.

“With over 25,000 drivers already switching to electric thanks to our discounts of up to £3,750, we’re backing British innovation, boosting jobs and making EV travel easier than ever.”

Companies have until 25 March 2026 to apply for funding via Innovate UK’s website. Eligible projects must enable at least 12 EVs to access ultra-rapid charging, which can deliver around 120 to 145 miles of range in just 15 minutes for a typical EV – that’s enough power to drive from Birmingham to York.

Claire Spooner, director of mobility, Innovate UK, said: “Launching this competition, Innovate UK will test new approaches to the EV charging power challenges on England’s strategic road network, especially in rural areas. The programme’s outcomes will build capability and bring together energy and transport stakeholders to improve EV charging for longer journeys.”

It’s the latest government funding to help drive EV take-up, following this summer’s launch of the £650m Electric Car Grant. The scheme gives discounts of up to £3,750 on 39 electric car models, and has already helped over 25,000 drivers make the switch, helping to drive EV sales up by 29% in September.

The Government also recently announced it will consult to cut red tape and make it easier for renters and residents without driveways to install home chargers. Plans could see drivers save £250 on planning fees and enable more households to run their car for as little as 2p per mile. Putting this into perspective, that equates to a £2.50 cost for driving from London to Birmingham.