On-street EV charging is getting a serious upgrade, thanks to a fresh £65 million investment announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves as part of the UK’s latest economic growth push.
The bulk of the funding—£55 million—comes from the Treasury’s National Wealth Fund (NWF), with another £10 million from Aviva. The investment will help charging company Connected Kerb expand its network, aiming to quadruple its number of on-street chargers to 40,000. This is big news for EV drivers, especially those without a driveway.
“This is a game-changing investment", says Connected Kerb CEO Chris Pateman-Jones. It "will give individuals and businesses the confidence to make the switch to driving electric, dramatically reducing carbon emissions and air pollution.” Industry leaders agree, with Renault UK’s managing director Adam Wood calling it a key step in making EV ownership more accessible.
“Today’s announcement gives confidence that legislators are ready to back their ambition with investment,” Wood says. “Providing more access to charging points for customers is critical to speeding up the transition to zero-emissions vehicles."
But not everyone is convinced the UK is ready. A survey of 1,000 drivers by insurance platform Quotezone found that 90% don’t think the country is prepared for EVs, and 80% feel the 2035 petrol and diesel ban is too soon.
Many drivers also think the government should step up support, with over half saying more grants and tax incentives are needed. Nearly half (48%) believe a free home charger would be the biggest motivator to go electric.
So, while this investment is a big win, it’s clear there’s still work to do to get more people on board with EVs.
