It was only this summer we reported chargepoint firm Believ had secured £300m in funding from various firms, and the company is now putting at least some of that cash to use after winning a contract to install 470 on-street chargepoints across North Lincolnshire.
The project is being “majority funded” by Believ and “part funded” by taxpayer cash via the government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund.
The 470 sockets will be installed in “urban and rural locations, as well as a high volume in residential areas”, with the project targeting the 25% of North Lincolnshire households that lack off-street parking and are therefore unable to charge at home. The scheme will see a mixture of fast and rapid chargers installed, with the council detailing that “16 rapid and ultra-rapid chargers” will be put “in key car parks across the county”.
Believ which changed its name from Liberty Charge in 2023, is co-owned by Zouk Capital, which was also selected as the fund manager for the government’s Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund (CIIF), launched in 2019 with £200m of taxpayer cash, matched by £200m of private investment. Believ’s other co-parent is British-Dutch-American telecommunications firm Liberty Global, which is domiciled in Bermuda and counts 50% ownership of Virgin Media O2 among its interests.
Believ’s pricing structure sees drivers charged 56p for each kiloWatt hour for fast charging (up to 22kW) or 66p per kWh for rapid and ultra rapid sessions, though members who pay £5 a month get a 3p to 6p per kWh reduction. For reference, the cheapest domestic tariffs sell off-peak electricity at 7p per kWh.
North Lincolnshire Council described the tendering process for the contract as “competitive” and said Believ “stood out for its ability to deliver competitively priced tariffs across all charging speeds, and contactless payment options that enhance the charging experience, as well as a suite of social value initiatives.”
Keir Mather, MP for Selby and Under-Secretary of State in the Department for Transport, highlighted the government has earmarked £381 million of taxpayer cash for 100,000 new chargers, plus £25 million “to help people without driveways access cheaper charging rates”.
Councillor David Rose from North Lincolnshire Council said the authority was “delighted” to be working with Believ, adding: “Not everyone has the option of off-street parking, which is why a high number of chargers will be located in these residential areas.”
Believ’s chief executive, Guy Bartlett, commented: “Our shared goals to help decarbonise transport and deliver cleaner air for all will create a partnership that will benefit the area for many years to come.”
