Portsmouth City Council has announced a project to install on-street EV charge points in partnership with leading charge point operator Zest. Over 150 charge points are already live on lampposts and bollards throughout the city.
The project marks the start of a major upgrade to the city’s EV infrastructure, designed to make it easier for residents to charge their vehicles close to home. This rollout is supported by funding from the government’s On-Street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS), alongside matched investment from Zest.
More than 3,000 Portsmouth residents already drive plug-in or hybrid vehicles, and forecasts suggest this could rise to over 20,000 by 2030 — around one in four residents. This rollout is part of a wider plan to meet that growing demand and encourage more people to make the switch to electric, with over 300 charge points planned over the next year, particularly in residential areas without off-street parking.
Cllr Peter Candlish, Cabinet Member for Transport, said:
“We’re entering a new era for Transport, with mass adoption of electric vehicles (EV). This requires making EV-charging accessible to all. With the new EV chargepoints now being installed in convenient residential locations, especially where off-street parking isn’t available, we’re future proofing the city and making it easier for more people to choose to switch to an EV. It’s an important part of our overall plan for cleaner air, lower emissions, and healthier travel options."
Robin Heap, CEO at Zest, said:
“We’re delighted to see our partnership with Portsmouth City Council come to life, with chargers now live across the city. Forward-thinking local authorities committed to sustainable transport play a key role in the electrification of our roads, and it’s crucial we continue to deliver convenient charging options that fit easily into people’s lives.”
Zest and Zapmap share a live data connection, meaning that users of the Zapmap app and web map can access the live status and availability of all of Zest's charge points at any time.
