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<p>Government and industry have supported the installation of over 17,000 devices,
providing over 24,000 publicly available chargepoints, of which over 2,400 are rapid
chargepoints. We will invest £1 billion in completing a fast-charging network to ensure
that everyone is within 30 miles of a rapid electric vehicle charging station. We
will set out a vision by Spring 2020 for a core rapid charger network on England’s
strategic road network. We will also consult on the earliest date we can phase out
the sale of new conventional petrol and diesel cars, while minimising the impact on
drivers and businesses. As detailed in our Manifesto last year, this Government’s
first Budget will prioritise the environment, including electric vehicle infrastructure.</p><p>
</p><p>Our various grant schemes and the £400m Charging Infrastructure Investment
Fund will see the installation of thousands more public chargepoints, with the first
£70 million of investment adding 3,000 additional rapid chargepoints by 2024. On 21
January, we announced that Government has doubled the value of the On-street Residential
Charging Scheme for 2020-2021 to £10 million to support the provision of up to 3,600
chargepoints for those that don’t have off-street parking.</p><p> </p><p>We are confident
that the grid will be able to cope with increased demand from electric vehicles. The
electricity market is already set up to bring forward investment in generation capacity to
meet demand. Ofgem, the independent energy regulator, ensures – through the RIIO regulatory
framework – that there is sufficient investment in electricity networks to deliver
our net zero target and enable the transition to electric vehicles. This is alongside
numerous measures to ensure a smarter, more flexible energy system, to help increase
the efficiency of the system to prepare for new sources of demand, including electric
vehicles. For example, Government consulted last year on mandating that all chargepoints
sold or installed in the UK have smart functionality. Smart charging during off-peak
periods, when electricity demand is low, can help reduce electricity network constraints.</p>
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