Oxfordshire councils to roll out 1500 new public EV chargers by 2028
According to the County Council, the goal of the initiative is to ‘create a reliable, easy-to-use, contactless EV charging network spanning the county’, and aims to prioritise deployment in areas where a high proportion of residents lack off-street parking. The agreements therefore cover Oxfordshire at the county council level, as well as district and city council authorities within the county.
When it comes to contracts, Connected Kerb has been given a broad remit to install and operate on-street charging stations as well as in County Council-run park and ride sites plus car parks. The other tender recipient is EZ-Charge, a Bicester-based manufacturer of EV charging hardware and software which already plays a key role in Oxfordshire’s existing Park and Charge scheme. EZ-Charge will therefore expand its presence across Oxfordshire by installing and operating new hubs in both district and city council-owned car parks.
In terms of hardware, the council says efforts will focus on 7kW chargers with discounted energy rates for overnight charging, although a ‘smaller number’ of 50kW+ rapid chargers will also be installed ‘in strategic locations’.
Alongside this, the County Council said it plans to launch a community ‘microhub’ scheme which will invite town and parish councils as well as ‘non-profit-making’ community organisations to host public charging points at community hubs like village halls, community centres and sports pavilions. To this end, six pilot sites have already been selected ahead of the launch of formal applications.
West Oxfordshire District Council Cllr Andrew Prosser, Executive Member for Climate Action and Nature Recovery, said: “Expanding public charging in this way means more people can make the switch to electric with confidence. We at West Oxfordshire District Council are pleased to play our part in a countywide effort that gives residents real, practical choices where they haven’t previously had them.”
Councillor Rob Pattenden, Cherwell District Council’s Portfolio Holder for Property and Assets, added: “This investment is essential in Cherwell, where many residents do not have access to on-street charging. In addition, the district has significant transient traffic, increasing the demand for conveniently located charging facilities. By expanding access to charging infrastructure, we are making it easier for people to transition to electric vehicles.”
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