Apply for local electric vehicle infrastructure (LEVI) pilot funding
Guidance for local authorities on how to apply for funding under the LEVI pilot scheme.
Applies to England
The local electric vehicle infrastructure (LEVI) scheme will support the rollout of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure.
To test the design of the new scheme we have launched a £10 million pilot competition, which we anticipate will fund between 3 and 8 projects.
How to apply
Local authorities and partnerships in England can apply for funding under the pilot scheme.
Read more about who can apply in the eligibility criteria section below.
To apply you need to send an expression of interest email to Energy Saving Trust.
The email subject should be ‘LEVI expression of interest’ and the email should include:
- your local authority name and address
- contact details of the enquiring officer, including their job title
You don’t need to include any other information.
Energy Saving Trust will support you to complete your application. Read more about support from Energy Saving Trust.
If you are in a position to apply now, you can download the .
Check that your scheme meets the eligibility criteria below before you complete a form or email Energy Saving Trust.
You must submit your completed application by 11:55pm, 17 June 2022.
Eligibility criteria
To apply for LEVI funding you must be either a:
- local authority in England
- partnership or consortium led by a local authority within England
You must be planning an electric vehicle charging infrastructure project that:
- supports the transition to EV use in a local area, with a particular focus on provision for those without off-street parking
- will provide an improvement in accessible EV charging provision that would not otherwise be met by current or planned EV chargepoint infrastructure
- shows innovation – this could be either technical or commercial innovation
You must be able to demonstrate:
- how the project will be delivered successfully
- the value for money offered by the project, including how the project minimises taxpayer funding and maximises private sector investment
The project must be explicitly supported by the relevant highway authority (or landowner) with responsibility for maintenance of the areas where the chargepoints are to be located.
Eligible technologies
The project must use technologies that meet the aims of the fund including:
- on-street slow and fast chargepoints
- rapid chargepoints, if installed as part of a wider project that includes on-street slow and fast chargepoints
- street or site adaptations
- solar canopies and battery storage
All new chargepoints must have a minimum payment method (a non-proprietary and non-phone payment method, such as contactless) installed.
Given the increasingly commercial nature of rapid charging, with an average of 100 new rapid chargers added to the UK network every month during 2021, we do not expect rapid-only projects to be funded through the pilot.
Eligible costs
Eligible costs for LEVI pilot funding are:
- the purchase cost of the charging unit, including wireless charging
- other hardware costs associated with the installation, for example, gullies, solar canopies or battery storage
- the cost of associated electrical connection components including distribution network operator (DNO) connection costs, smart charging and vehicle to grid technology costs
- the cost of civil engineering works related to the installation
- labour costs of the installation
- where applicable, the capital costs of a parking bay and traffic regulation orders (TROs) for example paint and signage
Chargepoints and any associated infrastructure which is part of the project must be maintained for a minimum of 7 years after installation.
Assessment criteria
Funding will be awarded on a competitive basis.
Applications will be assessed by a panel and funding will be awarded to projects which the panel considers best meet the overall aims of the pilot.
Support from Energy Saving Trust
Energy Saving Trust can help you with:
- preparing applications
- best practice and technological options for chargepoint installations
- developing EV chargepoint plans
- queries regarding contactless payment
They will contact you with details of the support they can provide after you register your interest.
Background to the scheme
The LEVI is intended to encourage large scale, ambitious and commercially sustainable projects that leverage significant private sector investment. It is the intention that the LEVI will support a transition towards local chargepoint provision secured on a commercial basis without public funding.
The aims of LEVI are to:
- help enable strategic local provision of public EV infrastructure ahead of need and promote an equitable EV charging experience for those without off-street parking
- leverage additional private sector investment and promote sustainable and innovative business models to enable the delivery of local chargepoint projects that would not occur in the near-term without public support
- increase consumer confidence in transitioning to EVs across England, ensuring increased uptake across regions
As the rollout of EV charging infrastructure accelerates, we are particularly interested in funding projects where there is scaled commercial innovation, such as new business models where multiple local authorities work together, or new charging technology.
We are taking steps to ensure charging is as easy as possible for drivers. This includes mandating a minimum payment method, such as contactless, at all new chargepoints at or above 7.1 kW in power. We will consult on similar requirements for chargepoints below 7.1 kW in power.
The LEVI fund pilot requires that all new chargepoints must have a minimum payment method (a non-proprietary and non-phone payment method, such as contactless) installed.
Industry data for 2021 suggests that more than 1 in 6 new cars sold had a plug (11.6% were battery electric vehicles and 7.0% were plug in hybrid electric vehicles) up from just over 3% in 2019. As the first G7 nation to announce phase out dates for new petrol and diesel cars, vans and trucks, we are determined to stay at the forefront of this transition.
The UK recognises that a focus on vehicles is only half of the challenge. A world-class charging infrastructure is fundamental to decarbonising road transport. In the future, we will be introducing a new £450 million LEVI fund for local authorities to support local EV infrastructure delivery.
The pilot fund is complementary to our existing On-Street Residential Chargepoint scheme.
Updates to this page
Last updated 5 April 2022 + show all updates
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Application form updated with revised minimum payment method information.
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First published.