Devon County Council and Torbay Council have partnered with Believ to deliver more than 1,300 fully funded EV chargepoints across the region. The rollout is designed to serve residents without access to a driveway.
The project was developed through the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) scheme but will be fully funded by Believ. Virgin Media O2, Believ’s sister company and delivery partner, will help facilitate the rollout.
The chargepoints will be standard chargers (previously termed fast, and re-categorised by the DfT) designed for long-stay and overnight charging. They will be installed in a wide range of locations, including rural and underserved areas in a bid to make EV charging infrastructure more accessible for all residents and visitors. All chargepoints will feature contactless payment and will be accessible, where possible.
Guy Bartlett, CEO at Believ, says: “We’re proud to be supporting Devon and Torbay in building a robust and accessible EV charging network to encourage further EV uptake in the area. The South West is an important region to increase charging infrastructure, and this partnership will offer betterment to the local area for residents and the high volume of visitors that Devon and Torbay see every year.”
Councillor Jaqui Hodgson, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for environment and biodiversity says: “In the tender process, Believ demonstrated clear delivery processes and an understanding of how to mitigate possible grid connection complications to deliver an efficient and scalable rollout in our community. Its expertise in planning support is reinforced by an ability to install all charging speeds – ensuring the right chargers are installed at the right locations.”
The project is set to begin at the end of September.
