The UK government on Sunday announced £63 million ($85 million) in new funding to expand the country’s electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, as Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander pledged to make it “easier and cheaper” for consumers to switch to electric cars.
The UK was Europe’s largest EV market in 2024, with more than 382,000 electric vehicles sold—up 20% from the previous year.
The package announced on Sunday includes a £25 million scheme aimed at local authorities to help households without driveways access cheaper at-home charging.
Officials say the scheme could save consumers up to £1,500 per year compared to running petrol or diesel vehicles.
The Department for Transport said that the government is also finalising a separate £700 million subsidy programme to lower the upfront cost of buying electric vehicles, a move intended to stimulate adoption and support the UK’s transition to zero-emission transport.
In a total of 191,316 vehicles sold last month in the UK, 47,354 were battery electric vehicles. EV adoption in the country grew by 39.1% in June, with fully electric vehicles representing 24.8% of the market.
Despite new energy vehicles (NEV) accounting for nearly 92,600 of the vehicles, internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles remained the top choice for consumers in June. ICE vehicles represented over 98,700 units — 51.6% of the market.
Despite the new measures, the funding falls short of the £950 million previously pledged by the Conservative government for motorway charging infrastructure. That commitment was scrapped in June by the Labour administration, which accused its predecessor of having failed to allocate the necessary funds.
Sunday’s announcement also included £8 million in funding for the electrification of NHS medical fleets at more than 200 sites across England.
Over 1,200 new charging sockets are expected to be installed, with the government projecting long-term savings in fuel and maintenance costs.
The UK now has more than 82,000 public charge points, with installations occurring at a rate of one every 30 minutes. A further 100,000 chargers are expected by 2030, supported by the government’s Local EV Infrastructure Fund and £6 billion in committed private investment.
The Department for Transport said a new grant scheme for depot charging infrastructure would also be launched to support the electrification of commercial vehicles, including heavy goods fleets and coaches.
In June, U.S. brand Tesla led the NEV market with over 7,700 EVs sold in June. The refreshed Model Y was the UK’s third best-selling model, accounting for 4,181 units sold.
BYD registered 4,583 hybrid and fully electric models on the island last month, a 557.5% surge year over year. Sales were up 51.4% sequentially.
Separately, the European Union imposed last year tariffs on Chinese electric vehicle imports after determining the industry received significant government subsidies, which led to unfair trade in the region.
Negotiations have recently resumed, but the date for a final decision remains unknown as talks are ongoing.
