Daily EV news · UK · 1 May 2026
EV Charging
Swansea Council trials on street charging solution for electric cars
Swansea Council in Wales has begun testing a new on street charging solution for electric vehicles, according to Wales 247. The trial aims to expand charging infrastructure for residents without off street parking. No details on the number of units, technology provider or deployment timeline were disclosed in the available excerpt.
Why it matters
On street charging pilots by local authorities signal growing procurement activity in the UK's residential EV infrastructure market, particularly for areas where home charging is not feasible. Successful trials often lead to larger rollout contracts that CPOs and installers can bid for.
Supply chain capacity now critical bottleneck for UK EV charging rollout, warns manufacturing platform
Ole Marx, regional sales director at on-demand manufacturing provider Xometry, has warned that the UK's EV charging infrastructure expansion is being constrained by manufacturing supply chain limitations rather than policy or finance. Writing in a contributed blog, Marx highlighted that physical components including custom castings for EV charging stations, mounting brackets and battery enclosures must be produced and delivered on time, yet many projects are struggling with sourcing and lead times as the sector scales rapidly.
Why it matters
CPOs and site developers face project delays and cost overruns if component suppliers cannot match deployment schedules, making supply chain resilience a competitive differentiator. The warning signals that procurement teams should audit manufacturing lead times and diversify suppliers now, before bottlenecks worsen as the UK network expands.
Electric Vehicles
Hampshire County Council allocates £1.8 million for electric bus charging infrastructure at Stagecoach depot
Hampshire County Council has committed £1.8 million from its 2025/26 Bus Service Improvement Plan to fund charging and power infrastructure at Stagecoach's Farlington depot in Portsmouth. The investment, selected from three operator applications, will cover new charging equipment, upgraded electrical cabling and enhanced grid connections to support a fleet of electric buses on key county routes.
Why it matters
The award signals active procurement of depot scale charging infrastructure in Hampshire and demonstrates how BSIP funding is channelling public capital into electric bus transition projects. Operators and suppliers targeting the UK bus electrification market can track similar BSIP allocations as a pipeline for depot infrastructure tenders.