A new £2.5 million fund has been launched by the Energy Saving Trust to help local authorities install on-street charge points for EV drivers.
The Energy Saving Trust’s On-street Residential Charge Point Scheme, backed by Office of Low Emissions Vehicles (OLEV) funding, will help councils encourage EV uptake by providing greater charging opportunities, particularly in areas where off-street parking for residents is limited.
With the majority of charging taking place at home, there are already home and workplace charging schemes available to private customers and businesses. However, these schemes only deal with off-street locations, with the new fund aiming to fill a gap in support.
Andrew Benfield, Group Director for Transport at the Energy Saving Trust said: “Not everyone can install a charger at home because they don’t have a garage, or perhaps live in a flat. This infrastructure is vital to help people make better choices about the car they drive and to do so without any difficulty.”
The fund is operated on a first-come first-served basis, with £1 million allocated for the first financial year, and £1.5 million for 2017/18. Local authorities across the UK – England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland – can apply for funding.
Although the funds are available for local authorities, the EST is encouraging local communities and groups to use the opportunity to make a case for the council to install on-street charge points.
Up to three quarters of the capital costs of installing the points can be covered by the new fund. Multiple points can be installed as long as they will be located in residential areas and can charge at least two cars at once.
OLEV will provide up to £7,500 per charge point installation, and each project should not cost more than £100,000 in funding. Further details can be found at the EST On-Street Residential Charge Point Scheme website.
