Daily EV news · UK · 14 April 2026
EV Charging
Thurrock awards Zest 15 year contract for 4,046 public EV charging points
Zest will install 4,046 public EV charging points across Thurrock, Essex, over 15 years under a council contract supported by the government's local electric vehicle infrastructure fund. Around 98% of the scheme will be funded by the charge point operator, with a mix of lamppost chargers, fast AC and rapid DC units prioritised for on street parking and underserved areas. The programme will also transfer 35 existing charging points onto the Zest network.
Why it matters
The contract demonstrates how local authority procurement backed by LEVI funding can deliver large scale residential charging infrastructure with minimal public capital outlay. The 15 year term and focus on lamppost and on street solutions offers a replicable model for CPOs targeting similar urban rollouts.
VEV installs 5 MW of DC charging across three Maritime Transport depots for 56 electric HGVs
VEV has completed a 5 MW high-power DC charging deployment at three Maritime Transport logistics sites in Wakefield, Tilbury and Doncaster, installing 18 chargers (100 kW to 400 kW each) to support 36 electric trucks charging simultaneously. The infrastructure will serve 56 electric HGVs, each covering approximately 120,000 km per year, as part of Maritime's fleet electrification programme under the UK government's Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) Program. VEV delivered full turnkey services including site design, power engineering, civil works, installation and integration with its VEV IQ smart charging platform for load balancing and scheduling across the depot network.
Why it matters
This marks one of the UK's largest heavy goods vehicle charging deployments to date and demonstrates the scale of infrastructure required for depot-based fleet electrification, with Maritime targeting 13 depots nationally. The project showcases demand for integrated turnkey delivery and smart energy management platforms in the commercial vehicle charging segment, backed by government demonstrator funding.
Aurora Utilities delivers grid connections for 1,330 Stagecoach electric buses across 17 UK depots
Aurora Utilities, an independent distribution network operator, is adopting and operating new grid connections to support high capacity EV charging infrastructure for Stagecoach's fleet electrification programme. The network upgrades will enable capacity for around 1,330 new electric buses, representing more than 16% of Stagecoach's total UK fleet. Sites now live include Aldershot, Arbroath, Ardrossan, Ash Grove, Barking, Barnstaple, Bow, Bromley, Cheltenham, Dover, Dundee, Exeter, Gloucester, Kilmarnock, Leyton, St Andrews and Torquay, with Stagecoach also investing in battery storage and on site solar to reduce grid reliance.
Why it matters
The programme demonstrates how independent network operators can accelerate large scale depot electrification by delivering faster grid connections at multiple sites simultaneously. Aurora's approach of adopting and operating the infrastructure offers a model for fleet operators seeking to electrify at pace while managing energy resilience through complementary battery storage and solar generation.
E.ON Drive opens York city centre hub with four 300 kW chargers serving eight bays
E.ON Drive has launched its first public charging hub in York, located in the car park behind George Hudson Street near the city centre. The site features four 300 kW CCS combo chargers capable of charging eight cars simultaneously. Local restaurant owners on George Hudson Street and residents in the nearby Micklegate area, particularly those in terraced housing with limited home charging access, are expected to benefit from the new facility.
Why it matters
The deployment adds high power urban charging capacity in a historic city centre where terraced housing limits residential installation opportunities. Restaurant and hospitality businesses are citing customer demand for charging as a factor in trade, signalling that charging availability is influencing destination choice in city centres.
Burnham and Highbridge prioritise Oxford Street car park in Somerset's 1,600 chargepoint rollout
Burnham and Highbridge Town Council has identified Oxford Street Car Park as a top priority site for new EV chargers, part of Somerset's £3.78 million government funded programme to install more than 1,600 low powered chargepoints across the county. The council assessed multiple locations at a meeting on 13 April, ruling out Dunstan Road and Lidl due to proximity to the Oxford Street site, while Pier Street Car Park was suggested for visitor charging.
Why it matters
The prioritisation of specific sites within a major county wide deployment gives installers and charge point operators clarity on where procurement activity will focus first. Somerset's £3.78 million programme represents a significant pipeline for low powered residential and destination charging infrastructure.
UK electric car charger firm enters administration with 69 redundancies after expansion difficulties
An electric vehicle charging company in the United Kingdom has collapsed into administration, resulting in 69 job losses, according to The Northern Echo. The firm cited struggles with expansion as the cause of its failure.
Why it matters
The collapse highlights the financial pressures facing charging infrastructure providers during rapid market growth, signalling potential risks for procurement teams evaluating supplier stability and for CPOs assessing the long term viability of network partners.
Believ wins £38m Hertfordshire contract to install over 4,200 charge points across four districts
Charge point operator Believ has been appointed by Hertfordshire County Council to deliver up to 3,974 standard sockets (up to 22kW) and 248 rapid sockets (50kW) across Dacorum, Hertsmere, Three Rivers and Watford. The £38m programme will be primarily funded by Believ's £36m investment, with the council contributing £2.1m from the government's Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund. Most charge points will be installed on residential streets for households without private driveways, with rapid chargers in selected council car parks.
Why it matters
The contract demonstrates how local authorities are splitting large procurement areas among multiple CPOs to manage rollout complexity, while the £36m private investment against £2.1m public funding shows the leverage LEVI grants can achieve. Believ's focus on site by site delivery to overcome power constraints and footpath width challenges reflects the practical obstacles CPOs face in dense on street deployments.
NTS acquires Herefordshire site and secures planning for Somerset forecourt
NTS has purchased a forecourt site in Herefordshire and received planning approval for a new forecourt development in Somerset, according to Forecourt Trader. The acquisitions expand the operator's network across the UK, though specific site locations and investment figures were not disclosed in the report.
Why it matters
The dual expansion signals active site procurement by a forecourt operator in regions where EV charging infrastructure may follow fuel retail investment. Planning approvals and site acquisitions often precede charge point tenders for new builds.
London has 2.9 public chargers per thousand residents versus Amsterdam's 17.4, analysis shows
Greater London operates 2.9 public EV chargers per thousand inhabitants, compared with 17.4 in Amsterdam, according to an Evening Standard analysis. The Netherlands has deployed more than 210,000 public chargers nationwide for a population of 18 million. The piece attributes Amsterdam's lead to two decades of policy consistency treating charging infrastructure as a public good.
Why it matters
The six times density gap highlights the scale of rollout needed in UK cities if procurement teams and charge point operators are to meet 2030 transition targets. Long term policy certainty remains the key variable for CPOs planning capital deployment and site acquisition pipelines.
Electric Vehicles
Nissan reveals electric Juke to be built in Britain
Nissan has unveiled an electric version of its Juke model with a redesigned exterior, confirming the vehicle will be manufactured in the United Kingdom. The announcement was reported by This is Money via Google News. Production in Britain signals continued investment in domestic automotive manufacturing capacity.
Why it matters
A new electric model built domestically expands the UK EV fleet and may drive demand for workplace and public charging infrastructure near Nissan's production facilities and dealer networks. Increased EV output from a major manufacturer supports the business case for charge point operators planning network expansion in Britain.
UK coach and bus registrations fall in Q1 but zero emission share reaches record high
New coach and bus registrations in the UK dropped during the first quarter, according to Route One. Despite the overall decline, zero emission vehicles achieved a record share of the market in Q1. The figures highlight a shift in fleet composition even as total volumes contract.
Why it matters
A rising zero emission share signals growing demand for electric buses and coaches, creating procurement opportunities for depot charging infrastructure. CPOs and installers should track fleet operator electrification plans as the ZE transition accelerates despite lower overall registration numbers.
Policy & Market
UK used EV sales jump 36% in March as fuel prices climb 20%
Used electric vehicle sales in the UK rose 36% between February and March 2025, climbing from 787 units per day to 1,074 per day, according to Marketcheck data. Sales peaked at 1,657 units on 30 March, with volumes staying above 1,000 per day for most of the month. The surge follows petrol and diesel price increases of 25p and 49p per litre respectively since the Iran conflict began, while home EV charging tariffs remain as low as 6.5p per kilowatt hour.
Why it matters
The sharp acceleration in used EV uptake signals stronger near term demand for public and workplace charging infrastructure as cost conscious drivers switch from fossil fuels. Charge point operators may see faster utilisation growth, particularly among newer EV owners without home charging access.
UK electric vehicle adoption stalls as 54 per cent cite charging anxiety and 42 per cent worry about battery life
Electric vehicle uptake in the UK is stalling despite strong interest, with research revealing a widening confidence gap among potential buyers. More than half of prospective EV owners (54 per cent) report anxiety about charging access, while 42 per cent remain uncertain about battery longevity and residual value. The hesitation is particularly acute in the second hand market, where buyers lack clarity on battery health and long term reliability.
Why it matters
Persistent charging infrastructure concerns directly affect demand forecasts for charge point operators and public procurement timelines. Addressing perceived network gaps and communicating battery durability will be critical to unlocking stalled EV sales and justifying further rollout investment.
Pod Point launches seven hour off-peak EV tariff with EDF
Pod Point has introduced Pod Power by EDF, a new electricity tariff offering seven hours of off-peak charging overnight for electric vehicle owners in the UK. The tariff is designed to encourage charging during periods of lower grid demand. The product was announced via Future Transport News and represents a collaboration between the charge point operator and energy supplier EDF.
Why it matters
Time of use tariffs can reduce operational costs for fleet operators and influence site utilisation patterns, while partnerships between CPOs and energy suppliers may shape future commercial charging propositions and grid integration strategies.