Electric vehicle equipment specialist Charging Solutions is celebrating a Government stamp of approval which will see the company involved in the roll out of a £13.5m domestic charging point scheme.

Charging Solutions is one of nine companies to have met the necessary rigorous standards to install the charging points in driveways and garages for owners of electric vehicles under the new Domestic Chargepoint Grant fund.

The scheme will see the Government cover up to 75% of the cost of installing charging points at homes, but only if the company installing the equipment is accredited by the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV).

James Jean-Louis, managing director of Charging Solutions, said: “The Government has recognised that most electric and plug-in vehicle owners will carry out most of their charging at home and this scheme helps to make the points accessible and affordable by off-setting some of the upfront cost.

“The market for plug-in vehicles is growing fast and there is a need for the charging point industry to keep pace with that, while also being able to offer the best equipment and customer service.

“We have been able to demonstrate to OLEV that our charging points meet not only the necessary technical standards but that they will be installed by qualified and skilled electrical installers  working at the highest standards.

“For the consumer, it means that they will only pay 25% of the cost, with the onus on suppliers to claim the 75% of the upfront cost back via the grant scheme. So we're gearing up for a busy few months as homeowners begin to take advantage of this scheme.”

Charge point suppliers and their charge points must be accredited in order for the grant to be claimed.

Charging Solutions is one of one two suppliers based outside of London and the South East, and is the only accredited supplier in the Midlands region.

The £13.5 million domestic fund is part of a wider £37 million scheme designed to encourage the continued growth of the electric and plug-in vehicle market.

Around £11 million is also being made available to local authorities in England to provide on-street charging and £9 million for charging points at railway stations.