Two collaborative partnerships spanning the Midlands region of England have applied to secure nearly £40m in funding from the UK government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund.
The consortia, working in conjunction with sub-national transport Midlands Connect, include the Second Midlands EV Infrastructure Consortium, led by Nottinghamshire County Council, and the Third Midlands EV Infrastructure Consortium, led by Lincolnshire County Council.
An analysis conducted by Midlands Connect revealed a need for some 17,461 new public EV charging points across the Midlands by the close of 2025, driven by the rapid growth of the EV market.
If successful in its bid, Midlands Connect said the funding would serve as a catalyst for the widespread installation of charging infrastructure throughout the region.
READ MORE: LEVI funding round opens to selected English local authorities
According to the consortia, the investment is projected to attract an additional £2.8m in private-sector contributions, enabling the rollout of some 322 standard and 27 rapid EV chargepoints across the Midlands.
What’s more, the installation and maintenance of the chargepoints is anticipated to result in the creation of more than 42,000 related jobs in the Midlands by the end of 2032.
Maria Machancoses, CEO of Midlands Connect, said: “This is a vital next step in our efforts to improve electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the region ahead of the phase out of sales of new diesel and petrol cars and vans by 2030.”
Should the consortia receive the funding, the chargepoints are expected to be operational by the summer of 2024.
The latest funding bid follows the earlier success of Midlands Connect and five collaborating local councils, which secured £1m from the government’s LEVI fund pilot in 2022.
Innovations and achievements in electric vehicles and charging infrastructure will be highlighted and celebrated at the second annual CiTTi Awards on 21 November 2023 at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.cittiawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s transportation sector – and to book your table today!