The UK government will fund the installation of up to 1,500 new electric vehicle (EV) charging points in Brighton & Hove over the next three years, with the city awarding new contracts for the project later this year.
Brighton & Hove City Council announced it will receive £2.8 million in funding, enabling the installation of 500 EV charging points annually until 2027. The initiative aims to expand charging options and offer more flexible tariffs, including off-peak rates, with access to over 2,000 charging points.
“The dramatic increase in the number of public locations will help give residents confidence they can use a charging point close to where they live,” said Councillor Trevor Muten, Cabinet member for Transport, Parking and Public Realm. “Scaling up also offers new opportunities to introduce flexible and off-peak tariffs to make it cost-effective for residents to charge their electric vehicles in the city.”
Most of the planned chargers will have capacities below 8 kW. However, the council plans to install “destination charging points” with up to 50 kW near facilities such as sports centres, libraries, and shopping areas. Additionally, new fast chargers with up to 150 kW will be introduced, though the council has not disclosed how many of each type will be implemented.
Currently, Brighton & Hove has 18 fast chargers, primarily designated for taxis. The council intends to expand their use to residents and visitors. Recently, the municipality added 100 lamp post chargers, partially funded by a £440,000 grant from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), which covered 60% of the costs. Blink Charging, the operator of the chargers, covered the remainder.
This funding initiative is part of the UK’s broader efforts to accelerate EV adoption and meet its net-zero emissions targets.