Home EV charging grant expanded for on-street parking

The government’s Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant, which discounts the installation of home chargers for EV drivers, has been expanded to people without off-street parking.

The scheme covers 75% of the cost of purchasing and installing a home charger, up to a maximum of £350. Previously, it was open only to EV drivers who owned or rented a home with a private off-street parking space.

However, under new criteria issued by the Department for Transport (DfT), those with “adequate” on-street parking will also be eligible to apply for the grant for a cross-pavement charging solution.

Applicants must have permission from their local council to install this between their home and their approved parking space. They must also have the approval of any relevant third parties, such as the property’s landlord or freeholder.

Applicants don’t necessarily have to own an EV themselves in order to be eligible: according to the guidelines, which can be read in full on the gov.uk website, electric company car drivers also qualify.

Amanda Solloway, minister for affordability and skills, said the changes “will make it easier for people to switch to electric vehicles”.

AA president Edmund King concurred, adding: “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.”

Progress on the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure fund

The DfT also said it had made significant progress with the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (Levi) scheme, approving payments of £185 million from the fund’s £381m pot.

Levi grants, announced in March 2022, are intended to support local authorities around England with the installation of public EV chargers.

Ian Johnston, chairman of industry body ChargeUK, told Autocar in January that the Levi fund’s implementation would bring the “opening of the floodgates for local-authority chargers”.

He said: “When the Levi scheme properly gets motoring later this year, then you’re going to see quite a shift. You’re going to see the floodgates open and thousands upon thousands of on-street chargers coming.

“That part of the market hasn’t been able to move quick enough because there have been the cogs of the Levi machine. The approvals and the tenders obviously take longer than a private firm, who can run a short tender between three or four rapid [charger] providers, make a choice and get going straight away.”

Johnston also predicted that the rate of charger installations this year will “make 2023 look like a quiet year”.

According to data from charger mapping service Zap-Map, there were 53,906 public chargers across the UK at the end of December 2023. That represented a 45% increase year on year.

By the end of February 2024, there were 57,290 chargers across the UK – up 47%, the DfT said.