Cabinet members will later this week discuss a newly developed strategy plotting the future of Leicestershire’s electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.
The county council is taking major strides towards meeting a rising demand for public chargepoints as the number of electric vehicles on the county’s roads continues to rise sharply.
Electric vehicle ownership across the county increased by over 60 per cent between 2021 and 2023 and the numbers continue to rise, with research suggesting that up to one in four registered cars could be electric by 2030. A minimum of 3,200 chargepoints will be needed to match this demand.
The county council, sub-national transport body Midlands Connect and four other local authorities are part of a consortium to secure almost £1m of Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding for public chargepoints across the Midlands.
In April 2024, further LEVI funding was provisionally allocated for chargepoint installation across the county and the council is now working with a wider consortium to secure the funding.
Although specific chargepoint locations have yet to be finalised, the focus will be on residential streets in highly populated areas, where access to private off-street parking is limited. The delivery of chargepoints is planned from 2025 onwards, following engagement with local communities.
Councillor Ozzy O’Shea, cabinet member for highways and transport, said: “We’re making significant progress in growing Leicestershire’s network of EV chargepoints. We know that most electric vehicles are currently charged on driveways, but supporting residents who don’t have access to off-street parking is important to us too.
“Rolling out public chargepoints in residential areas will help us achieve the council’s commitment to carbon neutrality, as well as making EV ownership more accessible.”
The EV report will be discussed by Cabinet on Friday, 13th September. You can watch this meeting live via our public involvement page.
For information on the latest developments, residents can also visit our EV page.