On Wednesday 1 April, the government’s Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant was increased from £150 to £500 in order to support UK households who want to install electric vehicle chargers.
However, these grants, which aim to make electric vehicle ownership more affordable, will only apply to people who live in or own properties and businesses that do not have driveways. This means that electric vehicle owners who live in properties and businesses with off-street parking will not receive any government funding from this grant.
In the government’s announcement, the Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, referenced the ongoing fluctuation in petrol prices as a significant factor for consideration, with home electric vehicle charging costs currently being as low as 2p per mile.
Nevertheless, the running costs of electric vehicles, despite the introduction of these grants, are on the rise. Electric vehicle drivers will be affected by a new pay-per-mile car tax of 3p per mile, starting in 2028. This tax will also affect plug-in hybrid owners, who will be charged 1.5p per mile on top of having to pay duty on petrol.
The Department for Transport (DfT) believe that the new government grant, worth £500, should cover around half the installation cost of an EV charger.