A new guide launched by the Renewable Energy Association (REA) has urged local authorities to appoint an EV Champion.

The guide, titled ‘Taking Charge: how local authorities can champion electric vehicles,’ is aimed at local authority officers, councillors, developers, and individuals designed to educate about the taxes and grants available to local authorities, and highlight ‘best practice’ in the sector.

Renewable Energy Association’s chief executive Dr Nina Skorupska CBE said: “It is clear that as costs fall and battery ranges improve, the choice to buy an electric car or van will become more commonplace.

“While the drivers of this historic shift may be global, the impacts will be local and Local Authorities will be on the front lines.

"The expectation that a reliable, accessible, and affordable charging infrastructure will be in place is, in the eyes of much of the public, the responsibility of local government.

“We hope that this pragmatic action plan can equip all local authorities, even those with constrained budgets, to tackle the challenges and opportunities of electric vehicles head on.

"Ultimately, the goal is improved air quality, reduced carbon emissions, and reduced running costs for consumers.”

The REA has put forward “practical and cost-effective potential actions”, these include:

• Appoint an “EV Champion,” a councillor who can be a main contact point for the public and developers who can help navigate the process of charging infrastructure being developed
• Make the ‘Milton Keynes Promise,’ to better inform residents of existing locations, and guarantee that on-street charge points will be installed next to the homes of those who operate an EV
• Create a dedicated EV webpage where residents can request charging infrastructure
• New ‘Energy Boards’ could investigate ways of saving money by coordinating EV roll-out, switching to renewable energy providers for their properties, a investing in solar and energy-from-waste projects
• Commit to purchasing EVs as part of the council’s transport fleet, or work with bus service operators to electrify their bus fleet (or have it powered by renewable gas)

Deploy EV charge points on council property, potentially co-located with a solar carport canopy and energy storage system

The report is sponsored by Alfa Power, a new entrant into the EV chargepoint development and renewable electricity supply sector, based in Yorkshire.

Alfa Power’s business development director Alex Hinchcliffe said: “Local Authorities have a key role in supporting chargepoint deployment in locations such as schools, supermarkets, and on-street for residents.

“We are absolutely delighted that we have been able to develop a complimentary home charging solution and a very affordable smart home charging solution.

"Both these options are green and the smart charging option will comply with the new government regulations.

“We will continue to work tirelessly on an offering that will also make the smart charging option free to the home owner.”