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Government reveals £65m investment in EV charging network

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced a £65 million investment to boost the UK’s public charging network.

The investment in on-street provider Connected Kerb was revealed as part of an announcement on major infrastructure projects around the UK.

The National Wealth Fund will supply £55m, with a further £10m provided by Aviva. The funding is intended to quadruple the number of kerbside chargers currently operated by Connected Kerb.

Connected Kerb specialises in slower, AC kerbside charging, which is seen as a vital component in the expansion of the UK’s public charging network alongside faster en-route chargers. Readily available devices which provide scope for overnight charging in residential areas are considered key to supporting drivers without their own off-street parking.

Connected Kerb had around 9,000 devices at the end of 2024 and the investment aims to boost that to 40,000 by 2040. Announcing the plan, Reeves said that the investment was ‘crucial’ to delivering the government’s target of having 300,000 public EV chargers by 2030.

Connected Kerb chargers
Connected Kerb specialises in lower-powered on-street chargers (Photo: Connected Kerb)

Recent figures show the UK’s public network grew nearly 40% last year, with more than 20,000 new devices added.

A widespread and varied public charging network is viewed as central to efforts to encourage more drivers to switch to electric vehicles ahead of the planned ICE phase-out from 2030, with many car makers calling for more support for infrastructure.

Pivotal time

Among those is Vauxhall, whose managing director, James Taylor said that choosing the right locations was as vital as securing funding. He commented: “Support for kerbside charging is critical to ensure nobody is left behind on the UK’s electrification journey, with millions of drivers without access to driveways reliant on an effective public charging network.

“2024 saw a 21% growth in electric car uptake, and whilst the number of overall public charge points is increasing substantially – some 38% up last year – the vast majority of the UK’s on-street residential chargers are currently located in the capital.

“Today’s announcement from the Chancellor is a welcome boost to the UK’s charging network at a pivotal time. We need to ensure that these new on-street chargers, which are key to enabling those without a driveway to charge their EV, get installed in the right towns and streets where they will get used – our Electric Streets campaign sets out precisely to help with that.”

Vicky Read, CEO of charging industry body ChargeUK, added: “ChargeUK members are supporting economic growth by rolling out charging infrastructure at an incredible pace. We welcome the Chancellor recognising the important role of our sector in driving growth in her speech.

“Our members are committed to investing £6 billion in the UK up to 2030 to ensure we remain on track to deliver infrastructure ahead of demand.

“To secure this funding, and ensure it has maximum impact on the UK’s growth agenda and clear energy ambitions, we need to see existing EV sales quotas confirmed, barriers to charge point deployment, such as slow grid connections, addressed, and steps taken to ensure drivers can charge affordably, including equalising VAT on home and public charging.”

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Matt Allan

Matt is Editor of EV Powered. He has worked in journalism for more than 20 years and been an automotive journalist for the last decade, covering every aspect of the industry, from new model reveals and reviews to consumer and driving advice. The former motoring editor of inews.co.uk, The Scotsman and National World, Matt has watched the EV landscape transform beyond recognition over the last 10 years and developed a passion for electric vehicles and what they mean for the future of transport - from the smallest city cars to the biggest battery-powered trucks. When he’s not driving or writing about electric cars, he’s figuring out how to convert his classic VW camper to electric power.