Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure pilot scheme for local authorities launches in England

In August 2022, £10 million in initial funding has been awarded to nine local authorities in England who applied to the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) pilot scheme, a scheme launched by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV). 

Over 395,000 battery electric cars were registered in the UK last year, an increase of 92% compared to 2020.¹ As of the end of July 2022 there were more than 520,000 battery electric cars registered in the UK. To support this increase, the UK now needs to increase the number of electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints to enable the transport sector to contribute to the country’s net zero emissions target.  

The UK Government created the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund, which aims to support the roll-out of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across England and encourage large-scale projects that use significant private sector investment. As part of the LEVI Support Body, Energy Saving Trust manages applications to the scheme, along with our partners Cenex and PA Consulting. 

A total of 42 local authorities applied for the £10 million pilot scheme. The nine successful applicants are listed below: 

• Dorset Council 
• Durham County Council 
• Kent County Council 
• Lincolnshire County Council (Supported by Midlands Connect) 
• London Borough of Barnet 
• North Yorkshire County Council 
• Nottinghamshire County Council 
• Suffolk County Council 
• Warrington Borough Council 

The portfolio includes a diverse range of projects encompassing different commercial models, technology and renewable energy and battery storage solutions. Covering a wide geographical area in England, the projects also address accessibility and safety for EV users.  

A proposed 1,038 chargepoints will be installed across England, with 300 chargers in pavement channels (gullies) also part of the portfolio. These chargepoints will be delivered as a mixture of on-street charging and hubs. As well as the £10 million LEVI funding, significant private investment and other public funding sources have been brought forward to this portfolio, with a total project value of £20.5 million. 

Hugh Pickerill, programme manager for electric vehicle grants and infrastructure at Energy Saving Trust said: “We’d like to thank all local authority officers for the time and effort that went into all LEVI pilot proformas and applications. We are excited to see these projects take off and increase the amount of close to home charging for those without access to off-street parking. This is a pioneering scheme that will support access to convenient and reliable EV charging for everyone. The LEVI Support Body looks forward to working with local authorities on applications to the full fund soon.” 

Support for these local authorities will also include an EV charging insights toolkit, which provides up-to-date data on projected number of changepoints required, the current trajectory for installations, annual revenue, and operational costs for chargepoints. They will also receive a breakdown of different vehicle types and emissions for their area, both current and projected. 

Further LEVI funding will be open for local authorities to apply for soon.   

Local authorities and partnerships in England must register their interest with the LEVI scheme to be notified when the full funding launches. Find out more about the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) scheme. 

1. Source: Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, July 2022.