Devon County Council (DCC) and Torbay Council have appointed Believ, char.gy and Wenea to install nearly 3,000 public electric vehicle (EV) charging points across Devon and Torbay as part of a major infrastructure programme backed by public and private investment.
The rollout, supported by £8 million from the UK Government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund and approximately £30 million in private sector investment, is scheduled to begin within the next few months.
Public Charging Network Expansion
The charging infrastructure will be installed over the coming years across communities, public car parks, residential streets and existing street lighting columns.
Under the agreement, Wenea will deploy rapid and fast charging stations in public car parks managed by East Devon District Council, Exeter City Council, Mid Devon District Council, South Hams District Council, Teignbridge District Council, Torbay Council and West Devon Borough Council.
Believ will install standard on-street charging points together with chargers located in parish council and community-owned car parks.
Meanwhile, char.gy will expand charging access through chargers integrated directly into existing lamp columns, providing convenient charging solutions for residents without private driveways.
Backed by £38 Million Investment
The programme combines around £30 million of investment from the three charge point operators with £8 million previously awarded to Devon County Council and Torbay Council through the Department for Transport’s LEVI Fund.
The initiative aims to improve public charging availability while supporting the wider adoption of electric vehicles across the region.
Supporting Transport Decarbonisation
Devon County Council said expanding public charging infrastructure is a key part of its strategy to reduce transport-related emissions, with road transport accounting for more than one-quarter of the county’s carbon emissions.
Councillor Jaqui Hodgson, Devon County Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Biodiversity, said:
“Making it as easy as possible for people to charge their vehicles when and where they need to — outside their home, on streets, in public car parks and even on lamp posts — is crucial to encourage the take-up of EVs.”
She added that the council looks forward to working alongside Believ, char.gy, Wenea and local authority partners to deliver the programme.
Torbay Council said the investment would help address one of the biggest obstacles to electric vehicle ownership.
Councillor Adam Billings, Cabinet Member for Pride in Place and Parking, said:
“This investment will help remove one of the biggest barriers to EV adoption, especially for residents without off-street parking.”
He noted that the expanded charging network complements other local decarbonisation initiatives, including trials of cross-pavement charging cable channels and the transition to an electric Stagecoach bus fleet in Torbay, helping provide residents with more sustainable transport options.
