More than £1.6million will be invested into providing more than 450 new electric vehicle charge points across the Island over the next 6 years, it has been announced. The Isle of Wight Council secured funding through the government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Scheme (LEVI) to support the installation of hundreds of new EV chargers. Those funds will be used to expand the current network of 33 publicly accessible EV charge points on the Island to more than 500 charge point sockets by 2030. In particular, the council wants to plan for residents that do not have off-street parking and who will be completely reliant on the public network. Councillor Phil Jordan, council Leader and Cabinet member for highways and infrastructure, has said:
“It’s excellent to hear that we’ve been successful in our funding bid to further support the installation of hundreds of new charge points across the Island. “The council is committed to providing Islanders with more options for EV charge points. There has been an increasing demand for public charging facilities and, with our private sector partners, we’ve been able to install 33 green electricity charge points across the Island. “Transitioning to electric vehicles is key to the achievement of the council’s climate targets and I am delighted and encouraged by the increased demand and usage. I look forward to facilitating more charging options for Islanders and visitors alike over the next couple of years.”
More and more drivers are making the switch to electric vehicles, with fully electric vehicles accounting for over 16% of the new UK car market in 2023, according to industry statistics. The funding will support the delivery of hundreds of low powered charge points on street, helping more drivers get from A to B easily and supporting Island families make the switch. Councillor Jordan adds:
“Many residents and businesses have already embraced electric vehicles, and we know that many more will be keen to do so over the coming years. “We recognise that for everyone to make the switch, the right charging infrastructure will need to be available around the Island. “We want to give as many people as possible the confidence to switch to an electric vehicle at the earliest opportunity, to decarbonise emissions as rapidly as we can. “The council is committed to working with partners and the community to tackle climate change and switching the way we power our cars and vans is a critical component of this.”
WHY ??? we the public don’t want ev cars..so that’s more wasted money.
Totally true. They are extremely expensive and the charging network is no where near ready (all private companies with no joined up thinking). Even manufacturers are saying they will make combustion engines for longer, not enough people are buying electric because of the upfront cost and lack of infrastructure.
“lack of infrastructure”
sounds like this project is one brick to solve that?
They council were given money previously to install charging points but did not spend it. Hope they do better this time. Clearly, EV prices will come down as manufacturers optimise the production process. But on such a small island, people can do more good for the environment by catching the bus.
But you HAVE to have an EV ? The elites have decided !
Nice if you can afford one here’s one who can’t and never will be able to
Don’t feel bad, they’re a load of old shite piling up in garages waiting to be fixed with unavailable parts.
Don’t feel bad, they’re a load of old shite, piling up in garages waiting to be fixed with unavailable parts.
No one wants electric vehicles. I read a few weeks ago
even King Charles got rid of his electric Jag!
More climate b@llocks
Stop wasting money, EVs catch fire.
Read national News.
What read news that’s been verified has being untrue on multiple occasions.
Have you not seen all the electric buses in London that have caught fire.
Google it, you will be shocked.
Not so I’m afraid. In the meantime learn to read and write.
Rubbish, Tesla catch fire not other EV’s. What about all the vauxhall zafira’s etc. A diesel car caused the Luton airport fire. I suggest you all google ZEV mandate
Why is my money going towards this when I’m never going to own an electric vehicle? Just like the funding to help people stop smoking I have never smoked in my life so why does the money I pay in go towards that.
You’re logic doesn’t work, because I could same thing about anything that helps you but not me. Do you get angry when kids get a new play ground?
What about when the council gives pensioners a bus pass?
Or when someone needs the NHS?
Smoking is a choice that someone makes just like buying an electric car so why should tax payers fund it? I don’t have a problem with the NHS or children’s play grounds
Well put.
Ev owners can fund it and smokers through central tax
Rather than wasting money, why not reduce parking charges.
24/7 364 days a year parking charges are a national rip off.
Why not roll out Parking Permits islandwide to help pay for
installation of charging points.
All motorists should chip in, whether they drive Electric vehicles or
not.
Every little extra helps.
This is all hot air, most “locals” cannot afford an electric vehicle anyway. Electric is not the be all and end all of so called climate targets. Fix the potholes and crap road surfaces first or the precious electric vehicles will rattle to pieces. More moronic talk from Jerk Jordan.
That’s why it’s a 6 year plan. Lots of people can afford a 6 year old car. Because that’s what lots of EVs will be by the end of these works.
But it’s also for hybrids like Prius from 2017, no?
Is that the same Prius with the sat nav that works on 3g networks only, and 3g is due to be switched off, and no chance of an upgrade.
I don’t know but surely it’s not related to the price of engine type issue. The point isn’t that specific model but the fact that there are many older hybrids that benefit as well.
Why not fit them with square pin plug sockets, then we could charge all manner of things, not just unaffordable cars.
Christ the comments on posts are stupid, you guys complain about literally everything. This is a good thing.
Start charging households permit parking fees each year and use that money to
build even more.
EVs are unreliable, expensive regarding battery replacements, very heavy so that will do the roads good we won’t just have potholes, and as of late been bursting into fire – sorry I will be sticking to petrol for as long as possible at least I know the vehicle if maintained regularly will work and not rely on power source from electricity point and operational if power cut. It is also a known fact that the battery making for EVs is more damaging to the ECO system than petrol and diesel. If they are that ECO worried then they need to bring back the horse and cart!
“hundreds of low powered charge points on street”. these are only good for charging a 9 volt battery, takes an age for an electric car on these to charge.
Just coming up to my third year owning an EV on the Island. In 2021 there was one reasonably reliable rapid charger and few slow chargers. I don’t have home charging. I have never had problem charging. So far I have spent about £35 on servicing, mostly windscreen wash. It has cost about 12p mile. On the mainland it has its own charging network which costs me 8p a mile. The software updates over Wi-Fi about every two weeks so it is not even the same car I bought. It is five door family saloon but drives like a go cart and is enormous fun. Just go to local EV dealer and drive one. I will guarantee you will enjoy yourself.
Ah, yes, fit the streets out where there are endless terraced housing and no off street parking. That’s a typical EV buyer NOT. Thay can barely afford the rent, yet alone buy an EV,
But according to figures only around 50% of chargers on the island are actually working.
I was driving along Ryde Esplanade this afternoon and was
annoyed to see cyclists cycling in the road, why not use the new
Cycle Lanes provided by Cllr Jordan
What a complete waste of money that was.
This exercise will be another waste of money.
Sitting in Waitrose car park, East Cowes (yeah, yeah, I know…..) looking at a row of empty ev charging bays. And it’s like that nearly all the time. No shortage of charging points, just Jordan virtue signalling.