The energy regulator Ofgem has announced a new £300m investment into electric car charging to make sure Britain is ready for a growing number of EVs joining our roads.
The funds will not just be spent on the chargers themselves, but also the infrastructure to support them. This is particularly important for quicker chargers that are found in motorway service stations and on key trunk roads.
Ofgem says ‘every region in Britain will benefit from today’s announcement’, as the money goes to support 204 projects across England, Scotland and Wales, with schemes starting this year.
This sum is part of a ‘much bigger plan’, with a huge £40bn set to be spent by Ofgem and the energy networks it regulates to future-proof the UK for electric cars.
Up to 1,800 ‘ultra-rapid’ chargers are set to be installed at key locations, while an additional 1,750 points will help in towns and cities. The cabling, substations and other infrastructure are all said to need a ‘massive upgrade’ to be able to support EVs, too.
Jonathan Brearley, chief executive of Ofgem, said: “The payment will support the rapid take up of electric vehicles which will be vital if Britain is to hit its climate change targets. Drivers need to be confident that they can charge their car quickly when they need to. We’re paving the way for the installation of 1,800 ultra-rapid charge points, tripling the number of these public charge points. Drivers will have more charging options for longer journeys.
“In the year that Glasgow hosts the COP26 climate summit, the energy networks are rising to the challenge and working with us and partners to accelerate projects that can start now, benefiting consumers, boosting the economy and creating jobs.”
