The Government has approved the first five local authorities in England to get EV charge point funding under its Local Electric Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund scheme.

The new funding will help local authorities mprove the availability of on-street charging for electric vehicle drivers. Image credit: Char.gy

Three local authorities from East Sussex to North Yorkshire and two London Boroughs have been approved by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) following their applications.

Further announcements on successful local authorities who applied for funding this financial year are expected in the coming months.

Part of a raft of measures announced today to support EV charging rollout, the newly confirmed LEVI funding will support the local authorities to work with the charge point industry to improve the availability of on-street charging for electric vehicle drivers.

Launched in March 2023, the £381m LEVI Fund provides vital support for local authorities to increase public EV charge points, particularly for residents who don’t have off-street parking available.

The Government sees local authorities as instrumental in charge point rollout, particularly for on-street charging. It recently confirmed its intention to mandate local transport authorities to produce local charging strategies if they have not done so as part of local transport plans.

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

The LEVI scheme is run by a support body that includes Energy Saving Trust, PA Consulting and Cenex, which provide ongoing support and guidance to all LEVI Fund applicants.

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 charge points, 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.”

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 charge point provision across England. The strategic focus of the fund will enable public authorities commission thousands of charge points in their local areas to support the uptake of electric vehicles, contributing to better air quality for all.”

In addition, as part of the LEVI funding, just under 100 dedicated EV officers have been newly recruited to support charge point 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 charge point 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.

Further information on the LEVI fund is on the Energy Saving Trust website here.