The purpose of the Government’s Local Electric Vehicle (LEVI) fund is to promote the development of local EV charging infrastructure across the country.
One of the guiding principles behind this objective is widening access to EV charging to those who do not have the option of off-street or private charging.
To achieve this goal, the Government is looking to Local Authorities to become key players in the UK’s transition to an electric future.
Applications for Local Authorities eligible for the second tranche of LEVI funding will open in a matter of months at the start of the next financial year. By engaging in the process, you can help your local area contribute to a national effort.
In this blog, we outline the process of applying for funding and explain how we can be a credible, dependable part of your proposal.
Three stage process
The Government has published a list of all Local Authorities who have expressed an interest in applying for LEVI funding.
While the process for areas allocated to tranche 1 has passed, if your Local Authority is eligible for Tranche 2, now is the time to start planning.
Overseen by the Support Body headed by the Energy Saving Trust, the application process for securing full funding comes in three main stages.
First, the application form asks Local Authorities to demonstrate that their funding bid and proposed commercial arrangement meets key eligibility criteria and demonstrates sound risk, project and budgetary management.
This includes demonstrating that the project will primarily benefit those without access to private home charging and is strategically effective by identifying and filling gaps in local charging provision.
It will also need to show that broad market engagement has been undertaken to test potential commercial arrangements and how they would meet the key criteria described above. Once approved, 90% of the funding is released to the Local Authority and tender and procurement process can be launched.
This will be followed by an assessment of the proposed contract with your chosen Charge Point Operator, and an assessment of your commitment to keep the Support Body updated once project gets underway.
Finally, once the above stages have been completed, the final contract will be assessed to ensure it aligns with the commercial arrangement outlined in your application form. Upon approval, the remaining 10% of funding is released and the project can begin.
Trust and collaboration
Partnering with a charge point operator with a proven track record of quality charging infrastructure delivery is a key way to de-risk your proposal and increase the chances of a successful bid.
At EZ-Charge, we are proud to specialise in public sector charging projects and were instrumental in delivering the landmark Park & Charge Oxfordshire project.
This flagship achievement saw the delivery of 250 charging points across 20 public sites, making it the largest network in the county and the gold standard of local authority charging.
This success story has bought a raft of benefits locally – by efficiently making use of public parking sites, extending access to EV charging to a wider group of people and introducing new revenue streams for councils.
The experience demonstrates our aptitude in collaborating with local authorities at district and council level to design the best possible public network for them and the needs of the population they represent.
Quality and reliability
By taking ownership of software and charger maintenance, we are able to hold ourselves to the highest standards of quality and reliability.
This sees us maintain an uptime of 99.2% across our network, as well as offering a range of features that enhances the customer experience, reflected in consistently strong reviews and positive feedback from customers.
The EZ-Charge App provides access to real-time information on site and charger availability so users can be confident of a charge at their chosen location.
We use state-of-the art charging points manufactured in the UK by a sister company to ensure the network is based on the highest quality hardware.
With access to lower cost dual band tariff pricing, and the option of generating VAT receipts, local authority partners can be sure of a convenient, good value, ultra-reliable experience for users.
Conclusion
This is an exciting moment in the development of a charging network that is adequately robust, varied and accessible to encourage more and more drivers make the switch to EV.
While buy-in is required across all sectors, local authorities have a unique and prominent role to play, one that will only increase further in the coming months.
By partnering with EZ-Charge, you are supercharging your application by associating with a highly-experienced charge point operator that has control over its own software providing the most reliable experience possible for EV users.
We will work with you to produce a credible funding proposal which meets key funding eligibility criteria in terms of strategic planning, meeting consumer and accessibility needs and good value for money.
Get in touch
We can provide a copy of our White Paper on the Oxfordshire Park & Charge case study on request. This provides an overview of key aspects including choosing the right tariff, DNO connections, data you need as a Local Authority, as well as top tips for the best reliability, and processing user feedback.
Reach out to our team today to discuss starting your partnership journey with EZ-Charge.