Cornwall Council’s ambitious project to enhance the county’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure has surpassed its initial target of 150 charge points.

The council has reported the installation of 184 charge points, housed in 92 charging units across 35 council car parks, with additional sites set to become operational this month.

The Drive EV2 Project, designed to expand Cornwall’s charging network into rural areas and locations with limited charging facilities, has increased the total number of charging units in Cornwall to over 500.

This initiative has been funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and Cornwall Council’s Carbon Neutral Fund.

Richard Pears, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for transport, said: “This project is about bolstering the existing network by installing units in areas with limited coverage – rural areas where the private sector is unlikely to install their own chargers. As the 2030 ban on the sale of new diesel and petrol cars draws nearer, it’s important we play our role in improving infrastructure to help residents make the switch to electric vehicles and help cut carbon emissions.” 

The charge points have been installed and will be operated and maintained by SWARCO Smart Charging.

Martyn Alvey, Cornwall Council cabinet portfolio holder for environment and climate change, commented: “Road transport accounts for around a quarter of Cornwall’s carbon emissions – we’re determined to play our part in helping to keep global warming below the 1.5 degrees threshold. 

“The number of electric vehicles on our roads is steadily increasing and the infrastructure must keep pace. With this extended network Cornwall is now in the top 20% of local authorities for total number of charging units.”