EV charge point grant extended to motorists without driveways

EV owners without off-street parking can now access government charge point grants for the first time.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced that the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant is being extended to cover millions of more households as part of its “Plan for Drivers”.

The grant was previously limited to those with dedicated off-street parking who rented a home or owned or rented a flat.

Under the new rules anyone who owns or rents a property with access to “adequate” on-street parking can claim up to £350 off the cost of buying and installing a charger. Applicants must own an EV and have permission from their local council to install a cross pavement solution, such as a cable gully. The grant will provide 75% of the cost, up to £350.

The DfT says it hopes the measure will help cut the cost of EV ownership for millions more households.

The grant extension is among a number of EV-focused announcements from the DfT. It also confirmed that it had approved public charger funding to 44 more councils in England as part of the Local Electric Vehicle (LEVI) fund.

A total of £185 million is being released to local authorities to enable the installation of thousands of chargers, following the first tranche of funding released to five councils in February.

Technology and decarbonisation minister, Anthony Browne, said: “This dedicated funding to local councils 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.”

Despite access to the LEVI funding, recent research suggested one in three UK councils doesn’t have any sort charging infrastructure strategy.

To help councils deliver EV infrastructure, the government is also fully launching its EV infrastructure training programme following a successful trail. The course is open to all local authorities and will cover key topics from technology to procurement.

Monday, March 18 also marked the launch of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Forum. The forum – a collaboration between government and industry – will discuss how best to tackle barriers and accelerate the delivery of charging infrastructure.

AA President, Edmund King, will chair the forum. He commented: “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.

“I’m proud to be co-chairing the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Forum as I’m committed to helping consumers transition to zero emission vehicles and an efficient, affordable, accessible charging infrastructure is key to that. I’m also confident that the UK’s brilliant charging and automotive industry can deliver and play a key part in the UK’s net zero ambitions.”