Government targets grid connection costs to unlock motorway EV charging

The Government has launched a consultation on plans to reduce one of the biggest barriers to expanding rapid EV charging at motorway service areas: the cost of upgrading electricity grid connections.

Under a proposed Strategic Charging Infrastructure scheme, Government would fund electricity network upgrades at motorway sites where connection costs are too high for commercial operators to justify. Charging providers would then be able to access the additional grid capacity at a subsidised rate, making new rapid and ultra-rapid charging installations more financially viable.

An indicative £190 million has been allocated to the scheme as part of the Government's wider £400 million investment in EV charging infrastructure announced in the 2025 Spending Review.

For fleets, the proposals could help improve charging availability on the strategic road network over the coming decade. While the public charging network continues to grow, limited grid capacity at some motorway service areas has become a major constraint on deploying more high-powered chargers.

If successful, the scheme would tackle the infrastructure behind the infrastructure, helping future-proof motorway charging as fleet electrification accelerates.

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