Chancellor Rachel Reeves has announced the UK government will invest £65 million into EV charging company Connected Kerb, as the latest measure intended to boost uptake of electric cars.

Connected Kerb specialises in the installation of slow chargers on streets and at destinations (such as supermarkets) to improve the availability of infrastructure for those who can't charge at home.

To date, it has installed some 10,000 chargers across the UK.

Funding will be taken from the National Wealth Fund, alongside another £28m equity investment in Cornish Metals, which mines minerals for use in EV batteries and solar panels, among other uses.

The news comes after EV sales fell short of industry expectations last year, despite hitting record levels. More than 380,000 EVs were registered last year, accounting for one in five new cars.

This was almost 80,000 short of the figure forecast by industry body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) in February 2023.

The SMMT said earlier this month that limited uptake of EVs among private (retail) buyers was a significant issue, with fewer than one in 10 opting for an EV in 2024.

It attributed part of the problem to the nation’s public charging infrastructure, calling on the government to “challenge chargepoint operators to accelerate roll-out”. 

Renault has now echoed this call to arms. Adam Wood, MD of the French brand’s UK arm, said: “Investment in on-street charging infrastructure is especially welcome, both for addressing a critical requirement to give people without a driveway an easy, affordable way to charge an electric car, and for signalling a firm government commitment to making the transition to electric vehicles happen to the timescales it has set with its mandate.

“Today’s announcement gives confidence that legislators are ready to back their ambition with investment.”

This is a breaking news story and will be updated with more information