Increasing EV charging capacity on the strategic road network
Innovate UK · England, United Kingdom
Grant funding to support the development and demonstration of innovative solutions that increase public electric vehicle charging capacity for long journeys on the Strategic Road Network in England, particularly addressing grid, power and operational constraints at motorway service areas and trunk road cold spots.
Summary
Deadline
25 Mar 2026
Updated
16 Oct 2026
Grant funding to support the development and demonstration of innovative solutions that increase public electric vehicle charging capacity for long journeys on the Strategic Road Network in England, particularly addressing grid, power and operational constraints at motorway service areas and trunk road cold spots.
Eligibility
Applicant types
See eligibility requirements
Industries
Electric vehicle charging infrastructure, energy systems, transport infrastructure, grid technology, energy storage, digital and energy management systems.
Match funding
Applicants must fund the remaining portion of project costs not covered by the grant.
Eligible applicants
UK registered organisations including businesses, academic institutions, public sector organisations, research and technology organisations and not-for-profit organisations participating in collaborative projects.
Funding and scope
Benefit amount
£500,000 to £3,000,000 grant request per project
Total fund available
£10,000,000
Funding intensity
Industrial research: up to 70% for micro or small organisations, 60% for medium organisations, 50% for large organisations. Experimental development: up to 45% for micro or small organisations, 35% for medium organisations, and 25% for large organisations.
Payment type
Not specified
Eligible scope
Projects must develop and demonstrate innovative solutions addressing grid, power and operational barriers to ultra rapid EV charging along the Strategic Road Network in England, enabling at least 12 vehicles to access 150kW or higher charging capacity at eligible sites.
Eligible expenses
- Eligible innovation project costs including development, deployment, equipment, research, testing, demonstration and associated project delivery activities.
Ineligible costs
Not specified
Application and risks
Application platform
Innovation Funding Service (IFS)
Competitiveness
Estimated success rate of approximately 15% to 30% based on similar competitions.
Decision timeline
Applicants notified by 15 May 2026.
Assessment process
Applications are assessed by independent assessors based on project quality, innovation, team capability, value for money, market awareness, risk management and wider impact.
Application sections
- Project details, application questions, finances and project impact.
Application components
Not specified
Decision risks
Applications may be rejected if they do not meet eligibility rules, fall outside the competition scope, fail financial or technical checks, or do not demonstrate sufficient innovation or value for money.
Timeline and partners
Opening date
3 Nov 2025
Project duration
Not explicitly fixed; funded development and deployment must be complete by 31 March 2028.
Project start
1 Jul 2026
Project end
31 Mar 2028
Co-funders
- Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV)
Collaboration rules
- Collaborative projects only. The lead organisation must collaborate with at least one other eligible organisation claiming grant funding.
Consortium requirements
- The consortium must include at least one UK registered SME claiming grant funding. It must also include organisations performing the roles of a Strategic Road Network site operator and an EV charge point operator.
Additional guidance
Document research last revised 2026-08-10.
International Collaboration Requirement
International partners are allowed but must normally participate as non-funded collaborators unless justified otherwise.
Research Category
Industrial research and experimental development
Research Organisation Funding
Research organisations undertaking non-economic activity may receive up to 100% of eligible costs or 80% of economic costs, with a total cap of 30% of overall project costs across all research organisations.
Subcontractors
Subcontractors are permitted and must normally be selected through standard procurement processes. Overseas subcontractors are allowed only with justification.
Interview Stage
Not specified
Key Requirements
Projects must demonstrate innovative solutions to grid and operational barriers to EV charging, deploy ultra rapid charging solutions at eligible SRN sites, and operate the deployed infrastructure for at least three years after project completion.
Important Notes
Projects must deploy solutions at motorway service areas or within one mile of the Strategic Road Network and must disseminate learnings and project outcomes to support wider industry capability building.
Application deadline in source document
25 March 2026, 11:00am UK time
Official source
Quick facts
- Status
- Closed
- Deadline
- 25 Mar 2026
- Funding amount
- £500,000 to £3,000,000 grant request per project
- Funding band
- Not specified
- Funding type
- Grant
- Payment type
- Not specified
- Audience
- See eligibility requirements
- Industry
- Electric vehicle charging infrastructure, energy systems, transport infrastructure, grid technology, energy storage, digital and energy management systems.
- Last updated
- 16 Oct 2026
- Published
- 4 Nov 2025