UK Government to Invest £65 Million in Connected Kerb to Boost EV Charging Infrastructure
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has recently announced a £65 million investment into EV charging company Connected Kerb, as part of the government’s efforts to increase the adoption of electric vehicles in the UK.
Connected Kerb specializes in installing slow chargers on streets and at key destinations like supermarkets, aiming to enhance the availability of charging infrastructure for those who do not have the option to charge at home. So far, the company has installed over 10,000 chargers across the country.
The funding for this initiative will be sourced from the National Wealth Fund, with an additional £28 million equity investment in Cornish Metals, a company that mines minerals used in EV batteries and solar panels.
Despite record EV sales last year, where over 380,000 EVs were registered, which accounted for one in five new cars, the industry fell short of the projected figures. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) had forecasted a higher number of EV sales, emphasizing the need to address the limited uptake of EVs among private buyers.
The SMMT has highlighted the importance of improving the public charging infrastructure to encourage more people to switch to electric vehicles. This sentiment has been echoed by Renault, with Adam Wood, the MD of Renault UK, emphasizing the significance of on-street charging infrastructure in facilitating the transition to electric vehicles.
Wood stated, “Investment in on-street charging infrastructure is especially welcome, both for addressing a critical requirement to give people without a driveway an easy, affordable way to charge an electric car, and for signaling a firm government commitment to making the transition to electric vehicles happen within the set timescales.”
The government’s investment in Connected Kerb and other initiatives demonstrates a strong commitment to accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles and improving the charging infrastructure across the UK.
