SAU: OZEV Strategic Charging Infrastructure Scheme Under Review

• The Subsidy Advice Unit (SAU) is evaluating OZEV's Strategic Charging Infrastructure Scheme for compliance with subsidy control requirements.
• The scheme allocates an indicative £190 million to enhance open-access EV charging capacity at Motorway Service Areas in England.
• It aims to fund electricity network upgrades at selected sites and reserve capacity for operators, partially waiving connection charges.
• The SAU will complete its report on OZEV's compliance assessment within 30 working days.
• Stakeholders can submit comments to the SAU, which will be shared with OZEV to inform the scheme's final design and modifications.

Lawyers advising clients in the electric vehicle charging infrastructure sector, including MSA operators and charge point operators, should closely monitor the Subsidy Advice Unit report OZEV for its evaluation of the scheme's compliance.

The Subsidy Advice Unit (SAU) has formally accepted a request to provide a comprehensive report to the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) regarding its proposed Strategic Charging Infrastructure Scheme. This initiative, designated as a Scheme of Particular Interest, is now under evaluation by the SAU, which will assess OZEV's compliance with established subsidy control requirements. The SAU's report will specifically evaluate OZEV's own assessment of compliance, with a commitment to deliver its findings within 30 working days.

Under the framework of the SAU OZEV Strategic Charging Infrastructure Scheme, the government will take on the responsibility of commissioning essential electricity network upgrades at selected MSA sites. Following these upgrades, the newly available electricity capacity will be specifically reserved for either MSA operators or charge point operators. These entities will then be able to access this reserved capacity by submitting direct applications to the relevant connection providers.

To ensure commercial viability for operators, a 'second comer charge' will be applied for accessing this capacity. Crucially, the government intends to partially waive this charge, thereby reducing the cost to a level that is commercially attractive for businesses. The scheme's geographical focus is exclusively on England, targeting MSA sites where the disparity between current and future capacity is most pronounced and where the costs associated with network upgrades would otherwise be commercially unfeasible. The ultimate goal is to deliver robust electricity network upgrades capable of meeting projected EV charging demand at these chosen sites, extending at least until 2035, and potentially up to 2050 in specific instances, though the total number of sites will be constrained by the allocated budget.

The SAU's involvement underscores the critical importance of adhering to CMA subsidy control requirements for any GB EV charging infrastructure subsidy. Lawyers advising clients in the electric vehicle charging infrastructure sector, including MSA operators and charge point operators, should closely monitor the Subsidy Advice Unit report OZEV for its evaluation of the scheme's compliance. OZEV conducted a consultation between June and July 2026, the responses from which are intended to inform the final design of the scheme.

There remains an active opportunity for interested parties to submit comments directly to the SAU concerning its evaluation of the Assessment of Compliance for the Strategic Charging Infrastructure Scheme. Submissions should be sent to sau-ozevsci-2026@cma.gov.uk, with a copy to strategiccharging@dft.gov.uk, with a contact address and specify the capacity in which the submission is made. The SAU will only consider submissions that can be shared with OZEV, as a copy of each submission will be forwarded to the public authority alongside the SAU's final report, allowing OZEV to incorporate this feedback into its decision-making process regarding the scheme's final form or any necessary modifications.

The outcome of the SAU's assessment and the subsequent final design of the SAU OZEV Strategic Charging Infrastructure Scheme hold significant implications for the future of Motorway Service Areas EV charging and broader electric vehicle network upgrades England. By targeting commercially unviable upgrade projects at critical motorway locations, the scheme aims to unlock substantial capacity that would otherwise remain undeveloped. This strategic intervention is vital for meeting the rapidly growing demand for EV charging, particularly for long-distance travel.

The findings from the Subsidy Advice Unit report OZEV will directly influence how the £190 million funding is ultimately allocated and the specific conditions under which operators can benefit. The scheme's success in stimulating open-access charging at MSAs will be a key factor in supporting the UK's transition to electric vehicles, ensuring that drivers have reliable and accessible charging options across the country's major road networks for decades to come.

Lawyers advising clients in the electric vehicle charging infrastructure sector (e.g., MSA operators, charge point operators) should closely monitor the Subsidy Advice Unit's evaluation of OZEV's Strategic Charging Infrastructure Scheme for compliance with subsidy control requirements, as the findings will influence the scheme's final design and funding allocation for EV network upgrades in England. There is an active opportunity to submit comments to the SAU regarding the scheme's compliance assessment.

Source: Original reporting based on GOV.UK announcement.