Perran Moon, CEO of electric vehicle charging network provider Believ, tells us how local authorities can overcome common hurdles when implementing EV charging facilities in their local areas
Local authorities are an integral part of the government’s plans to provide 11 million households in the UK with public EV charging facilities by 2030. It is a complex, challenging task that must be delivered at pace. With the resources of most local authorities already stretched, how can they overcome some of the challenges they face and provide a charging network which their local community will love?
Integrating an EV network into a wider sustainable local transport system, which is accessible to everyone and has the right charging speeds in the right locations, requires funding, planning and expertise. Yet, when surveyed, only 14% of local authorities had dedicated EV infrastructure resources; they had no individual accountable for project delivery and needed additional expert resource and support.
To overcome these challenges, several local authorities such as Croydon, Hammersmith and Fulham, Wandsworth and West and North Northamptonshire Councils have successfully partnered with charge point operators (CPOs) like Believ, who have in-house planning, delivery and operational expertise and specialise in deploying charge point infrastructure at zero cost to local authorities and businesses.
Developing the right strategy for EV charging facilities
Local authorities can use the experience and expertise of CPOs to help develop the implementation strategy and overcome obstacles in the planning phase. From the outset, stakeholders from procurement, legal, engineering, public highways, and parking teams within the local authority should be aligned with a unifying vision for the EV charging facilities.
Expectations must be managed, decisions governed, and everything delivered promptly. The scale and complexity of the project may lead to some pushback from various departments, which will need careful management. An experienced third party can offer and negotiate solutions to any objections that might be raised.
The key to success within the organisation is to focus the team on the future benefits for everyone involved, including local businesses and the general public. Externally, the key is consultation. Residents may be opposed to installing charge points along their roads and outside their homes simply because they misunderstand EVs and charging infrastructure.
Through public consultation, a familiar process for local authorities, residents are given the opportunity to question, clarify and correct any concerns or potential misconceptions they may have.
CPOs who have previously worked with local councils to install EV infrastructure can provide advice on working with a network of internal and external stakeholders and help gain support for the implementation plan. Some local authorities use third-party consultancies, but they can be more costly.
On the other hand, a CPO’s planning team of experienced and highly skilled professionals can create bespoke EV infrastructure plans for each town and city across the country more cost-effectively. Whether there is a need for ten or a thousand slow and/or ultra- rapid charge points, an experienced CPO like Believ can work with local councils, communities, and customers to deliver the right strategy and ensure all charging needs are met.
Choosing the right charging speed in the right location
The decision of where to locate each EV charge point in the network needs to be strategically intelligent, data-driven and benefits from using a Geographical Information System (GIS) data to assess current and future demand. Such data helps to identify and assess a location’s suitability for charge points, the optimal charging speeds, the commercial viability, and social inclusion of each site.
This type of data-driven approach to the planning process can help local councils take a long-term portfolio approach to implementing EV charging facilities. Believ will, for example, package more and less commercially viable sites, including e-mobility or car-club hubs plans, into a single concession. This approach provides good coverage and equitable access to chargers for all local residents, including those living in deprived areas or those where the installation cost can be disproportionately high. It means no one in the local community is left behind.
Believ uses this approach to plan the delivery of a highly accessible, reliable EV charging facilities at scale and at pace. Its trusted delivery partner, Virgin Media O2, works on local infrastructure projects throughout the UK and can deliver the network with minimal disruption to local communities.
Finding funding for EV charging facilities
Building infrastructure, of course, requires funding. It can be challenging to balance timely delivery with applying for and gaining funding from the LEVI fund. It can take two years from the initial LEVI application to receipt of funds, and the administrative burden is significant, with no guarantee of success.
To make best use of the time between application and funding availability, experimental Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) or Traffic Management Orders (TMOs) in London and trials can be adopted. Such orders allow local authorities to understand the most suitable CPO solution long before funding is available. The infrastructure design and roll-out plan can be refined using the data collected during such trials. It may also be used to build the business case for capital investment during the second phase of the LEVI application.
During the LEVI application process, a CPO’s procurement team can use their expertise to help the local authority build a financial case for the local infrastructure by offering revenue generation schemes. This can provide long-term revenues for the local authority through profits. It also means shared liabilities and administration for the future network.
Another alternative is for the CPO to take complete ownership and fund the project at zero cost to the local authority. All future liabilities, administration and maintenance of the EV network remain with the operator.
Local authorities may also choose to work with CPO, which offers a fully funded model. This reduces the administrative burden for the local authority, and with the confidence of having funding available, the team can continue with the roll-out programme quickly. Believ offers private funding to build scalable EV charging facilities at zero cost to the taxpayer and local authorities.
Futureproofing the EV charging network
Once the funding and operating model have been decided, the local authority may award the contract(s) directly or start a tender process to find the right long-term partner. To avoid long-term structural challenges in any relationship, each party’s financial and public liability responsibilities must be clearly defined.
For example, if the charger is faulty or there is a trip hazard at the site, where does the CPO’s liability begin and the local authority’s end? Knowing if all the right questions have been asked and how to answer them isn’t easy. A CPO like Believ can advise on the ‘dos and don’ts’ of developing tenders based on their experience working with local authorities.
During the tender process, the local authority can ask the CPO about their capabilities in delivering the infrastructure and a long-term maintenance programme. Using multiple charge points, each providing different charging speeds, can become complicated if there are multiple contracts and maintenance schedules to manage or oversee. Believ is a one-stop-shop CPO offering all charging speeds from slow to ultra-rapid, simplifying procuring and maintaining the infrastructure hardware.
The local authority should ask about the reliability of any existing EV networks they have installed. Believ, for example, provides an annual service, offers 24/7 emergency assistance, and dispatches engineers rapidly when something isn’t right. That results in a 98% uptime record for its EV charging facilities. A CPO interested in a long- term relationship with the local authority should have similar processes in place to ensure their chargers are ‘always on’ so their use is optimised and local residents are happy with the service.
Designing and implementing local public EV charging facilities is a daunting task. But local authorities don’t have to face that challenge on their own. The experience and expertise of CPOs like Believ can be invaluable. They have resources and expertise to help deliver accessible, sustainable transport at pace to ensure cleaner air for all.
