Hampshire awards Believ 15 year contract for 17,000 charge points backed by £6.6 million government funding

Hampshire County Council has awarded charge point operator Believ a 15 year contract to install and operate 17,000 electric vehicle charging points across the county, targeting areas without off street charging. The £90 million scheme is supported by more than £6.6 million in government funding, with installations expected to begin later this year and around 500 charge points planned for delivery in the first year. The programme will include rapid charge points and potential charging hubs for taxis and private hire vehicles.

Why it matters: This major procurement demonstrates how local authorities are using long term concession contracts to deliver large scale on street charging networks, with Believ securing operational rights for 15 years. The phased rollout of 500 units in year one provides a delivery benchmark for similar county wide programmes combining public and private investment.