Research and analysis

Rapid Charging Fund pilot: process evaluation

Evaluation of a pilot scheme aimed at funding electricity upgrades at motorway services to support ultra-rapid EV charging and inform future policy.

• From: Department for Transport
• Published: 8 September 2026

Applies to England

Documents

Rapid charging fund pilot: process evaluation report

PDF, 477 KB, 32 pages

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Details

The Rapid Charging Fund (RCF) was announced in 2020 to improve electric vehicle (EV) charging on the strategic road network (SRN).

The RCF pilot was launched in 2023 to test using capital grants to support delivery of electricity network upgrades at motorway service areas, where high costs are a barrier to improvements in EV charging provision.

This report, from Frontier Economics, is an independent process evaluation of the pilot, it assesses the effectiveness of the approach and identifies lessons for future policy design and implementation.

Published 8 September 2026