Daily EV news · UK · 14 March 2026
EV Charging
Zapmap warns UK public charging must expand faster outside London to meet net zero targets
The UK now has around 120,000 public charging points, but Zapmap co-founder Melanie Shufflebotham told GB News the network is unevenly distributed and must grow far faster outside London to support net zero goals. Zapmap provides aggregated infrastructure data to Government departments to track network development, covering location, pricing and utilisation metrics. The charging data platform highlighted that public charging is not all created equal, with recent counting methodology changes revealing how the network is evolving.
Why it matters
Uneven geographic distribution of charging infrastructure creates procurement risk for CPOs planning national rollouts and signals where public funding or private investment may be needed to fill gaps. Government reliance on Zapmap data for policy decisions means CPOs should align expansion plans with official tracking metrics to secure grants and demonstrate network coverage.
Electric Vehicles
Southern Vectis secures £3.6 million DfT funding for 23 electric double-deckers on Isle of Wight
Southern Vectis, working with Isle of Wight Council, has won £3.6 million from the Department for Transport to add 23 electric double-decker buses to the island's network by 2027. The operator will contribute £8.1 million, bringing total investment to £11.7 million. The award follows an earlier ZEBRA scheme grant that delivered 31 electric buses, and will lift the island's electric fleet to 54 vehicles, covering most of the main network.
Why it matters
The project demonstrates continued government support for zero-emission bus procurement in regional areas and signals sustained demand for depot charging infrastructure to support mid-sized electric fleets. Operators planning similar ZEBRA-funded rollouts can benchmark the £11.7 million total cost for 23 double-deckers when modelling their own bids.