A reliable, accessible public charging network to support electric vehicle drivers on long journeys is essential to support the electric vehicle transition.  The market has changed significantly since the £950 million Rapid Charging Fund was announced in 2020, with over 6,400 open-access, rapid and ultra-rapid charge points within one mile of the Strategic Road Network – more than quadrupling in the last three years (July 2022 – Oct 2025, Zapmap).

We’re adapting our approach to meet the needs of industry today. We are using lessons from the Rapid Charging Fund pilot and continue to work with industry to deliver the right financial support, targeted where it is needed most. For example, improving provision at some motorway service areas where high connection costs have made charging infrastructure rollout uncommercially unviable.

We expect to share more information later this year via a targeted industry consultation.

A reliable, accessible public charging network to support EV drivers on long journeys is essential to support the EV transition.

The market has changed significantly since the Rapid Charging Fund was announced, with now over 6,000 open-access, rapid and ultra-rapid chargepoints within one mile of the Strategic Road Network – more than quadrupling in the last three years (July 2022 – July 2025, Zapmap). No grant funding was awarded via the Rapid Charging Fund to Huntingdon.

We are adapting our approach to meet the needs of industry today. The recent Spending Review announced £400m for charging infrastructure, including to support charging on the Strategic Road Network. We will use lessons from the Rapid Charging Fund pilot and continue working with industry to target financial support where it is needed most.

A reliable, accessible and visible public charging network to support EV drivers on long journeys is essential. There are now over 5,560 open-access, rapid and ultra-rapid chargepoints within 1 mile of the Strategic Road Network (England’s motorways and major A roads) (Zapmap, April 2025). This is an increase of over 60% since January 2024 (Zapmap Jan 2024 – April 2025).

The market has changed significantly since the previous government announced the Rapid Charging Fund in 2020, including increased private sector investment in infrastructure, a changed regulatory environment, and improvements in battery technology.

We will ensure taxpayers' money is used as efficiently as possible to make the transition to electric vehicles a success. The Rapid Charging Fund pilot was launched in 2023 to better understand where to target government support.

We will apply learning from the pilot and continue working with industry to inform future policy to boost charging infrastructure on the Strategic Road Network.

A reliable, accessible and visible public charging network to support EV drivers on long journeys is essential.

The market has changed significantly since the previous government announced the Rapid Charging Fund in 2020, including increased private sector investment in infrastructure, a changed regulatory environment, and improvements in battery technology. There are now over 5,250 open-access, rapid and ultra-rapid chargepoints within 1 mile of the Strategic Road Network (England’s motorways and major A roads).

We will ensure taxpayers' money is used as efficiently as possible to make the transition to electric vehicles a success. The Rapid Charging Fund pilot was launched in 2023 to better understand where to target government support. We will apply learning from the pilot and continue working with industry to inform future policy to boost charging infrastructure on the Strategic Road Network.

There has been strong progress with installation of chargepoints on the Strategic Road Network. There are now over 5,250 open-access rapid and ultra-rapid chargers within one mile of the Strategic Road Network (Zapmap, January 2025), of which 1,180 are at motorway service areas (based on industry data). The latter is up around 165% over the last two years.

The market had changed significantly since the Rapid Charging Fund was announced, including increased private sector investment in infrastructure, a changed regulatory environment, and improvements in battery technology.

The Government will ensure taxpayers' money is used as efficiently as possible to make the transition to electric vehicles a success. The Rapid Charging Fund pilot was launched to better understand where best to target government support. We will apply learning from the pilot to continue working with industry to boost charging infrastructure on the Strategic Road Network.

The Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund is providing £381 million funding to support local authorities in England to work with industry and transform the availability of electric vehicle (EV) charging for drivers without off-street parking.

On the 6 December, a £70m pilot for the Rapid Charging Fund opened for applications, focused on motorway service areas in England. Alongside the pilot, a consultation on the main fund was also launched. Evidence gathered from the consultation will be used alongside the learning from the RCF pilot in the development of the RCF main fund. The RCF main fund will open in due course.

Government will continue to assess whether further support is required to ensure the continued rollout of EV infrastructure.

The Rapid Charging Fund is a complex, long-term project. In December 2023, a £70m pilot for the Rapid Charging Fund opened for applications, which are now being assessed.

The £381 million Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund, including capital and capability funding is available over the 2023/2024 and 2024/2025 financial years. This follows the LEVI Pilot and initial LEVI capability funding for local authorities in 2022/2023.

The Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant, Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Grant, and Workplace Charging Scheme are also currently available. These grants are kept under continual review.

The Rapid Charging Fund (RCF) will future-proof electrical capacity at strategic locations, where it is currently uncommercially viable for industry to do so, to prepare the network for a fully electric car and van fleet. The RCF will not fund chargepoints directly. It will enable the market to deliver by subsidising the uncommercial costs of new or additional electricity connections.

The Government is in the process of developing a pilot for the RCF. The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) has been engaging closely with stakeholders and colleagues in other Departments for the pilot, which will open for applications in due course. The budget for the pilot will be publicly announced when it opens for applications.

The Government intends to conduct a public consultation for the main RCF. Results from the consultation and learnings from the pilot will help to inform the design of the main fund.

Ahead of the RCF, the Government continues to work with industry on the rollout of chargepoints at motorway service areas (MSAs). 96 per cent of motorway service areas (MSAs) have at least one rapid chargepoint. There are now 260 ultra-rapid (150kw+) chargepoints, and more than 480 open-access (can be used with any electric vehicle) rapid (50kW) and ultra-rapid chargepoints at MSAs altogether.

The Rapid Charging Fund (RCF) will future-proof electrical capacity at strategic locations, where it is currently uncommercially viable for industry to do so, to prepare the network for a fully electric car and van fleet. The RCF will not fund chargepoints directly. It will enable the market to deliver by subsidising the uncommercial costs of new or additional electricity connections.

The Government is in the process of developing a pilot for the RCF. The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) has been engaging closely with stakeholders and colleagues in other Departments for the pilot, which will open for applications in due course. The budget for the pilot will be publicly announced when it opens for applications.

The Government intends to conduct a public consultation for the main RCF. Results from the consultation and learnings from the pilot will help to inform the design of the main fund.

Ahead of the RCF, the Government continues to work with industry on the rollout of chargepoints at motorway service areas (MSAs). 96 per cent of motorway service areas (MSAs) have at least one rapid chargepoint. There are now 260 ultra-rapid (150kw+) chargepoints, and more than 480 open-access (can be used with any electric vehicle) rapid (50kW) and ultra-rapid chargepoints at MSAs altogether.

The Rapid Charging Fund (RCF) will future-proof electrical capacity at strategic locations, where it is currently uncommercially viable for industry to do so, to prepare the network for a fully electric car and van fleet. The RCF will not fund chargepoints directly. It will enable the market to deliver by subsidising the uncommercial costs of new or additional electricity connections.

The Government is in the process of developing a pilot for the RCF. The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) has been engaging closely with stakeholders and colleagues in other Departments for the pilot, which will open for applications in due course. The budget for the pilot will be publicly announced when it opens for applications.

The Government intends to conduct a public consultation for the main RCF. Results from the consultation and learnings from the pilot will help to inform the design of the main fund.

Ahead of the RCF, the Government continues to work with industry on the rollout of chargepoints at motorway service areas (MSAs). 96 per cent of motorway service areas (MSAs) have at least one rapid chargepoint. There are now 260 ultra-rapid (150kw+) chargepoints, and more than 480 open-access (can be used with any electric vehicle) rapid (50kW) and ultra-rapid chargepoints at MSAs altogether.

The Rapid Charging Fund (RCF) will future-proof electrical capacity at strategic locations, where it is currently uncommercially viable for industry to do so, to prepare the network for a fully electric car and van fleet. The RCF will not fund chargepoints directly. It will enable the market to deliver by subsidising the uncommercial costs of new or additional electricity connections.

The Government is in the process of developing a pilot for the RCF. The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) has been engaging closely with stakeholders and colleagues in other Departments for the pilot, which will open for applications in due course. The budget for the pilot will be publicly announced when it opens for applications.

The Government intends to conduct a public consultation for the main RCF. Results from the consultation and learnings from the pilot will help to inform the design of the main fund.

Ahead of the RCF, the Government continues to work with industry on the rollout of chargepoints at motorway service areas (MSAs). 96 per cent of motorway service areas (MSAs) have at least one rapid chargepoint. There are now 260 ultra-rapid (150kw+) chargepoints, and more than 480 open-access (can be used with any electric vehicle) rapid (50kW) and ultra-rapid chargepoints at MSAs altogether.

The Rapid Charging Fund (RCF) will future-proof electrical capacity at strategic locations, where it is currently uncommercially viable for industry to do so, to prepare the network for a fully electric car and van fleet. The RCF will not fund chargepoints directly. It will enable the market to deliver by subsidising the uncommercial costs of new or additional electricity connections.

The Government is in the process of developing a pilot for the RCF. The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) has been engaging closely with stakeholders and colleagues in other Departments for the pilot, which will open for applications in due course. The budget for the pilot will be publicly announced when it opens for applications.

The Government intends to conduct a public consultation for the main RCF. Results from the consultation and learnings from the pilot will help to inform the design of the main fund.

Ahead of the RCF, the Government continues to work with industry on the rollout of chargepoints at motorway service areas (MSAs). 96 per cent of motorway service areas (MSAs) have at least one rapid chargepoint. There are now 260 ultra-rapid (150kw+) chargepoints, and more than 480 open-access (can be used with any electric vehicle) rapid (50kW) and ultra-rapid chargepoints at MSAs altogether.

The Government is working closely with motorway service area (MSA) operators to support them in the rollout of electric vehicle chargepoints. Over 97% of MSAs in England currently have rapid charging available. As of March 2023, MSAs in England support drivers with more than 400 open access chargepoints, over 230 of which are rapid (50kW), and over 200 are ultra-rapid (150kW+).

This Government will continue to engage with industry on the development of the Rapid Charging Fund (RCF) to understand their views and gain insight. As part of the RCF, the Government will also identify areas that will be most in need of funding along the strategic road network.

The Government is working closely with key stakeholders, including all the motorway service area operators in England, on the development of the Rapid Charging Fund (RCF) and its pilot. The Government is also working on a number of milestones for the RCF this year, including a pilot and a public consultation.

2023 will see a number of key milestones for the Rapid Charge Fund including a pilot for the fund and the launch of a public consultation in Spring.

The Rapid Charging Fund (RCF) is not yet open. The timing and process for the delivery of this funding is currently being planned and will be confirmed in due course.