£25 Million Boost for Pavement EV Charging: Making Home Charging Possible Without a Driveway

If you’ve been eyeing an electric vehicle but don’t have a driveway, there’s good news on the horizon. The UK Government has just announced initial details of a £25 million grant to roll out cross-pavement charging solutions—making it easier (and cheaper) for households in England to charge EVs at home, even without off-street parking.

What’s the Pavement Channels Grant?

The Electric Vehicle Pavement Channels Grant (EVPC) is part of a wider £63 million investment from the Department for Transport (DfT) aimed at accelerating the shift to electric cars.

For drivers without a driveway, charging an EV at home usually means running a cable across the pavement—something that’s both unsafe and often prohibited. Pavement channels—also called cable gullies—solve this problem by installing a safe, enclosed groove in the pavement that neatly houses the charging cable.

Not only is this safer for pedestrians, but it also gives residents access to cheaper home electricity tariffs—saving drivers up to £1,500 a year compared with petrol or diesel.

Who Can Apply?

This funding isn’t for individuals directly—it’s aimed at local authorities, who will be able to apply later this year to install these solutions in their areas.

The scheme will be supported by the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) support body—a partnership between Energy Saving Trust, PA Consulting, and Cenex—who will provide guidance and best practices to councils.

Why It Matters

Hugh Pickerill, Programme Manager for EV Grants and Infrastructure at Energy Saving Trust, calls the grant “a welcome complement to existing funding schemes”. He says it will help residents without off-street parking make the switch to electric more easily.

Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood adds that this is part of the government’s plan to make EV ownership more affordable and practical, noting:

This comes on top of over 82,000 public charge points already installed in the UK—one added every 30 minutes—as part of the government’s £4bn investment in the EV transition.

What’s Next?

Further details on the application process and timelines for the Pavement Channels Grant will be released soon. If you’re a driver without a driveway, it’s worth letting your local council know you’re interested—because this could make charging at home a reality.