Oxfordshire successful in £37m government EV bid

Oxfordshire County Council has successfully bid for a slice of a £37 million government fund to continue the authority’s electric car revolution plans.

Oxfordshire is set to host to two major initiatives to provide more charging points for electric vehicles across the county. The projects have been awarded funding from Innovate UK as part of the government’s £37 million investment into British engineering to transform electric charging infrastructure, revolutionising the experience for the record levels of EV drivers on UK roads.

The council says that Park and Charge will see up to 300 chargers installed in residential ‘charging hubs’ using car parks located in residential areas where properties don’t have their own off-street parking. The pilot will provide drivers from across the county who don’t have access to home charging on a private driveway, with chargers sited at a local ‘hub’ where they can park and charge their EV overnight.

Yvonne Constance, cabinet member for Environment, said: “I’m thrilled that Oxfordshire is to receive funding to support local residents who are currently excluded from becoming EV drivers because they don’t have the means to charge a vehicle at home.

“These state-of-the art projects will pilot new business models and technologies designed to solve real challenges, while at the same time helping to tackle air pollution and climate concerns, and drive investment in the local low carbon economy. Oxfordshire County Council is looking forward to working closely with our district and city council partners to deliver these exciting projects for the people of Oxfordshire.”