New government funding that will enable local authorities to install more than 1,000 charge points has been greeted by the fleet and leasing sector as “a vital step in reducing range anxiety” and driving EV uptake by private and business drivers.

The pilot scheme is seen as a vital step in reducing range anxiety

Announced last week, the Local EV Infrastructure Fund (LEVI) pilot scheme provides nearly £20m of funding from both the Office of Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) and industry, shared by nine local authorities. This will be used to install a potential 1,038 charge points, along with 300 in pavement channels (gullies) – all of which will be publicly accessible.

It follows the launch in March of the £450m LEVI Fund – a major part of the recently announced EV Infrastructure Strategy – which will help local authorities leverage private sector investment into their local charging networks and put in place a long-term, sustainable charging framework.

A total of 42 local authorities applied in the pilot round and the successful nine applicants include councils in Dorset, Kent, Lincolnshire, Barnet, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Suffolk and Warrington.

These will share £10m of government funding, supported by an additional £9m in private funding. An extra £1.9m will come from public funds across local authorities. Meanwhile, further LEVI funding will open for local authorities to apply for soon.

It’s intended to build on the success of the On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) which has seen nearly 2,900 chargepoints installed so far with funding provided for some 10,000 additional charge points in the future. The Government has also brought forwards a further £10m, bringing this year’s ORCS funding to £30m.

A vital step in reducing range anxiety

The Energy Saving Trust is managing the applications to the scheme, with Cenex and PA Consulting, and said it’s a “pioneering scheme that will support access to convenient and reliable EV charging for everyone”.

Meanwhile, the BVRLA greeted the programme and said, “creating real-world test beds will give others the guidance to recreate their success nationwide to develop a network that meets fleet and private user needs alike”.

Chief executive Gerry Keaney went on to say: “Getting the EV charging infrastructure right is the difference between the UK meeting its net zero targets and falling short. It remains a massive barrier to fleet users making the switch, as investment to date has prioritised private users and overlooked the varied requirements of those driving for business. Strategic investment that gets stakeholders representing all road users and vehicle types around the same table is the answer.”

He added: “These trials mark the perfect opportunity for forward-thinking regions to become beacons of how to meet fleet and private user needs together. They are creating the templates for the rest of the UK to follow. Armed with the BVRLA Fleet Charging Guide, which gives local authorities distinct, actionable recommendations for developing a charging network that works for all, we are ready to work in close collaboration with the winning regions.”

Meanwhile, Daloop, a specialist in sustainable mobility management, said it particularly welcomed the allocation of the funding towards local authorities outside of London.

CMO Tomas Edwards continued: “Lack of charging infrastructure is frequently seen as a key barrier preventing businesses and individuals from investing in EVs. A large part of the anxiety that is felt towards the EV transition is linked to these concerns about charge point availability, especially in areas outside of London and other metropolitan areas.”

He also echoed the BVRLA’s comments that the funding will help drive fleet adoption of EVs.

“Continued funding and previous commitments from the UK government will guarantee the expansion and development of the UK’s EV charging infrastructure, meaning that businesses and individuals can feel confident that they can make the switch to electric vehicles. A vital step in reducing range anxiety and for continuing the mass adoption towards a cleaner transportation system.”

The UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) also said it would hopefully help inspire operators and local authorities across the UK to increase the rollout of charge points.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, stated: “With manufacturers bringing ever-growing numbers of plug-in vehicles to UK roads, we can’t risk lacklustre infrastructure holding back Britain’s world-leading electric vehicle ambitions. We need a universal right to charge electric vehicles, for all drivers, wherever they live, wherever they travel and whatever their needs.”

But while Novuna Vehicle Solutions said the announcement was a “welcome step in the right direction” – particularly as many of the local authorities involved have fewer public EV charging points than the national average of 48 per 100,000 of the population – it stressed that more action was needed.

Jon Lawes, managing director, continued: “There is still a considerable way to go to provide adequate EV charging infrastructure – demand for electric vehicles continues to rise up and down the country, yet public charging provision is failing to keep pace with EV registrations and remains insufficient in the majority of parts of the UK.”

And Meryem Brassington, electrification propositions lead at Lex Autolease, also called for further focus.

“Policymakers must continue to invest in the rollout of charge points outside of larger towns and cities to allow even more motorists the opportunity to go electric,” she outlined.