The government published its updated Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy in March 2022, pledging up to £1.6bn of public funding for charging infrastructure1. The strategy set out plans to expand the public charging network, including a commitment to install 100,000 public chargers across the UK by 20252.
The funding package includes the £950m Rapid Charging Fund, aimed at supporting the installation of 6,000 super-fast chargers along UK motorways, and the £450m Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund, which local councils can apply to for grants for projects such as EV charging hubs and on-street charging solutions2. The strategy followed £300m approved by Ofgem in May 2021, half of which was to be used to develop EV infrastructure including rapid chargepoints1.
"In March 2022 the Government published its updated Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy, which pledged up to £1.6bn of public funding for charging infrastructure."
The strategy sits alongside other regulatory changes. The Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021 came into force on 30 June 2022, and the Public Charge Point Regulations came into force in 20231. The zero emission vehicle mandate, the government's pathway towards all new cars and vans being zero emission by 2035, became law in January 20241.
Progress against the 100,000 charger target has been reported by industry. The UK installed its 60,000th public charger in April 2024, with 6,000 charge points installed between January and April of that year, and a quarter of those installed in 2024 so far being ultra-rapid2. As of 30 March 2024, there were 59,590 public charging points in the UK1. The government has also set out a plan to roll out 300,000 chargers nationwide by 20302.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Total public funding pledged | Up to £1.6bn1 |
| Rapid Charging Fund | £950m2 |
| LEVI fund | £450m2 |
| Ofgem approved funding (May 2021) | £300m1 |
| Public chargers target by 2025 | 100,0002 |
| Public chargers target by 2030 | 300,0002 |
Why it matters for households
For households considering or running an electric vehicle, the strategy's funding shapes how easy it is to charge away from home. BEAMA and the Green Finance Institute report that 82% of EV drivers have access to charging at home, while 93% use public charging networks, and around a third of the UK does not have access to off-street parking1. For those without a driveway, public chargepoints and on-street solutions supported by the LEVI fund are the practical route to charging, and the public EV charging rules on networks and payment apply to them.
The split between home and public charging also affects running costs. Home charging is generally cheaper per unit than public charging, and VAT treatment differs between the two, as set out in why public EV charging VAT is higher than home charging. Households weighing up a home chargepoint can compare home and public charging costs, and those in flats or rented homes may look at the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant. The closed Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme is no longer open to new applicants.
Charging speed and the type of chargepoint determine how long a top-up takes, which is covered in EV charging speeds and times. For households with a home charger and a compatible vehicle, vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-home charging allows a car to store and return electricity, and the V2G earnings page sets out what that can pay. Octopus Energy launched Octopus Power Pack, described as the UK's first vehicle-to-grid tariff, at the beginning of 20241.
What happens next
The strategy's funding streams have dated stages. All applications to one fund had to be submitted by March 2024, and projects were extended and must be completed by 1 March 20251. The government ran a consultation on the design of a fund in February 20241. At the end of 2025, chargepoint operators must enable drivers to pay through at least one roaming provider at their public charge points1. The next network price control runs for five years from April 20231. Based on installation rates reported in 2024, the 100,000 charger target could be reached as soon as summer 20252.
Sources2 cited
- BEAMA-GFI-Guide-to-Electric-Vehicle-Infrastructure.pdf, beama.org.uk
- Milestone alert: UK speeds towards 100k public EV chargers, electroverse.com