Electric vehicle charging points across the UK are set to be increased with an extra £2.5 million funding. This new set of funding will help install over 1,000 new charge points, supporting the on-street residential scheme which launched in 2017. 

The scheme aims to encourage even more people to choose an electric vehicle by making it easier to charge their cars near home, following a 158% increase in battery electric vehicle sales compared to July last year.

The investment will go towards helping local authorities to install these chargepoints, which can be built into existing structures like lamp-posts.

Announcing the doubled funding for the scheme, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “It’s fantastic that there are now more than 20,000 publicly accessible chargepoints and double the number of electric vehicle chargepoints than petrol stations, but we want to do much more.

“It’s vital that electric vehicle drivers feel confident about the availability of chargepoints near their homes, and that charging an electric car is seen as easy as plugging in a smartphone.

“That’s why we are now doubling the funding available for local authorities to continue building the infrastructure we need to super-charge the zero emission revolution – right across the country.”

The funding was increased in an effort to meet demand and accelerate the take-up of electric vehicles as the UK moves towards net zero emissions by 2050 and further improve air quality.

The allocation of funding for on-street residential chargepoints is also part of the £1.5 billion investment underpinned by the Road to Zero Strategy.