Daily EV news · UK · 28 March 2026
EV Charging
Bristol lamppost chargers cost 55p per kWh, ten times home rates, councillor warns
Bristol City Council has deployed 149 lamppost charging points under the Amp Post pilot scheme to serve residents without driveways, but the tariff of 55p per kilowatt hour is roughly ten times the 5p per kilowatt hour typical of home charging, according to councillor Tim Kent. The council approved a broader electric vehicle strategy at a meeting on Thursday, even as Kent cautioned that the price gap may deter use. The rollout comes as the UK government maintains its 2035 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales.
Why it matters
The tenfold cost premium highlights the commercial and equity challenge facing on street charging procurements: operators must recover infrastructure and grid costs without pricing out the very residents the schemes aim to serve. Councils and charge point operators will need to balance tariff structures, subsidy models and utilisation forecasts to make kerbside networks financially viable.
Electric Vehicles
Scotland commits £45 million to deploy 334 zero-emission buses and coaches with charging infrastructure
The Scottish Government has allocated £45 million through the third round of the Scottish Zero Emission Bus Challenge Fund (ScotZEB3) to support 334 zero-emission vehicles, comprising 227 buses and 107 coaches, alongside associated charging infrastructure. Operators including Stagecoach, Lothian, First Bus, Ember and Rock Road will receive funding for vehicle procurement from suppliers such as Alexander Dennis, Wrightbus and Yutong. The programme covers both new vehicle purchases and the repowering of existing double-deck buses.
Why it matters
This £45 million public procurement creates immediate charging infrastructure opportunities across multiple Scottish bus and coach operators, with depot charging requirements for over 330 vehicles. The mix of vehicle types and operators signals diverse infrastructure specifications and potential for both depot charging installations and maintenance contracts.
Policy & Market
Guardian explores EV batteries as potential UK fuel reserve buffer
The Guardian has published an analysis examining how electric vehicle batteries could contribute to the UK's energy security and fuel reserve strategy. The piece discusses vehicle to grid technology and the potential for parked EVs to act as distributed storage during supply disruptions. It appears in the context of broader UK energy policy debates around resilience and decarbonisation.
Why it matters
For charge point operators and fleet managers, any policy shift recognising EVs as grid assets could unlock new revenue streams through vehicle to grid services and influence future infrastructure investment priorities.
UK ZEV mandate requires 33% of new car sales to be electric in 2025
The UK's Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate sets a 33% electric vehicle sales target for new cars in 2025, according to What Car?. The regulation forms part of the government's phased approach to decarbonising road transport. Manufacturers failing to meet the quota face penalties, driving increased EV supply into the UK market this year.
Why it matters
A 33% EV sales floor accelerates charging infrastructure demand across workplace, destination and public networks. Procurement teams and charge point operators should anticipate higher utilisation and faster site payback as the vehicle parc shifts under regulatory pressure.