Renewable energy investor Octopus Energy Generation has announced plans to invest up to £110 million in the UK’s EV charging network in a bid to accelerate the transition to zero-emission electric transport - and hopes to improve the number of charging points in the north of England.
The firm will invest in Manchester-based public charging network Be.EV to scale-up public charging and install new devices across the UK.
Octopus Energy already supplies all of Be.EV charges with 100% renewable electricity. The new funding from Octopus Energy Generation - the investment arm of the renewable energy supplier - will help to add 1000 further charging points across the north of England and beyond by 2024.
The move promises to increase Be.EV’s charge point coverage by more than 600%
At present, a greater proportion of EV chargers are located in London, with around 116 devices per 100,000 people, according to EV mapping service Zap-Map. In the north of England the numbers are more alarming, with around 30 public charging points per 100,000 people.
Octopus Energy Generation hopes to “address this imbalance at speed” through its investment in Be.EV.
"As a nation, we need to rapidly build more EV charge points to meet the growing number of drivers going electric,” said Matt Setchell, co-head of Octopus Energy Generation’s funding team.
“Easy and fair access to chargers will help phase out petrol-guzzling cars once and for all.”
Octopus Energy says its new deal will support more than 455,00 EVs on UK roads today with more than half of drivers aged 16 to 49 years in the UK likely to switch to an EV in the next decade.
READ MORE
Subscribe to the Move Electric newsletter
e-CARS
Chinese car brand Nio to expand into UK by end of 2023
Driving a Citroën Ami around London: five things we learned
New Polestar 3: 380kW performance EV aims to 'redefine' the electric SUV
e-BIKES
Seven essential accessories to improve your e-bike life
The Lake District village that's pioneering community e-bike schemes
e-MOTORBIKES
Honda to launch more than 10 electric motorbikes by 2030
New Zero DSR/X launched as electric adventure motorbike
Stilride: the brand reinventing electric motorbike production
e-SCOOTERS
8Tev B12 Roam e-scooter review
Pure Electric launches two new machines that 'reinvent' the e-scooter
Rise in e-scooter accidents prompts call for 'urgent' government action
e-WORLD
Artemis electric ferry revealed for Bangor to Belfast service
New Mobilize Solo Concept is a safety-conscious e-scooter rival
Volta Zero: the electric truck tearing up the rule book for the electric age