£33m government funding boost for EV chargepoints across North West
Almost £33m of government investment has been pledged for North West local authorities to boost the roll-out of electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints.
The funding forms part of £381m of dedicated funding throughout the country.
Cheshire East Council has been awarded £2.561m, Cheshire West and Chester Council £2.422m, Greater Manchester Combined Authority £17.598, and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority £10.384m.
The £350 EV chargepoint grant has also been expanded to those without a driveway as part of Government’s Plan for Drivers.
The funding will drive down the cost of EV ownership by providing up to 75% off the cost of purchasing and installing a chargepoint, and applicants must also have permission from their council to install a cross-pavement charging solution. Applications can be made online.
So far, more than 56,000 public chargepoints have now been installed across the UK, up 47% from this time last year.
Also, the local authorities who have already been allocated to the second round of LEVI funding will be able to apply to the fund from April 2, following those who have received funding in the first round and in a further boost to the chargepoint roll-out.
Technology and Decarbonisation Minister, Anthony Browne, said: “This dedicated funding to local councils across the North is part of our plan to ensure people can switch from a petrol or diesel car to an EV when they choose to do so.”
Ensuring collaboration between government and industry, today also marks the launch of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Forum. The Forum, chaired by Ministers and AA President, Edmund King, will discuss how best to tackle barriers and accelerate the delivery of charging infrastructure. Wider membership will be set out in due course.
Edmund King said: “AA surveys show that one of the main reasons why many drivers are hesitant towards switching to EVs is the perception that there are not enough charging points. To give confidence to drivers now and for the future, we need to overcome these barriers which will help unlock cleaner, greener motoring for all. Extending grants to those without off-street parking is a step in the right direction.”
Fully electric vehicles now account for more than 16% of the new UK car market in 2023, according to industry statistics.
Today’s announcement comes following the introduction of the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate into law earlier this year. The ZEV mandate requires 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in Great Britain to be zero emission by 2030, and 100% by 2035, providing certainty to both consumers and industry while helping to safeguard skilled UK jobs in the car industry.
The Stellantis plant in Ellesmere Port, formerly Vauxhall, now makes electric vans, switching from its previous Astra saloon car production.
