The Welsh Government is investing a further £15m to increase the number of electric vehicle charging points across the country.

The funding will help local authorities increase the number of charging facilities ahead of the 2030 ICE phase-out

The funding will help local authorities increase the number of charging facilities ahead of the 2030 phase-out target for petrol and diesel cars/vans.

The Government has already invested £26m in charging infrastructure across Wales since 2021, which has created more than 1,600 charging points – enough for one in six battery electric vehicles.

But deputy climate change minister Lee Waters, who has a responsibility for transport, said further work was needed: “Drivers need to have the confidence to make the switch to electric vehicles as demand increases and that’s why we are committed to creating high-quality electric vehicle infrastructure across Wales.

“Most of this work will be delivered by the private sector but our role is to facilitate private sector investments across Wales and ensure equality of access.

“To help with this, we have created a private sector taskforce which will engage with the market, break down any barriers to investment and accelerate the rollout of charging infrastructure.”

He added: “The funding announced today is another step in the right direction but we have further to go – we will continue to work with local authorities and the private sector so that Wales keeps up with the rapid increase in the number of electric vehicles.”

The new funding is in addition to the Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle (ULEV) fund, which supports the Welsh Government target of providing charging points for every 20 miles of the strategic trunk network across Wales by 2025.

Councils that have secured funding include Wrexham Council, which has received £1.86m over two years to roll out EV charging facilities at a charging hub in the city centre as well as sites in remote, more rural locations across the county.

Cardiff Council has received £900,000 for the next two years to roll out EV charging in the region and provide rapid charging infrastructure at Lamby Way depot for 11 electric Refuse Collection Vehicles, as part of the council’s fleet of 78 refuse collection vehicles.