Warwickshire Expands EV Charging Infrastructure with Over 2,000 New Public Sockets

The deal pulls together 73 rapid charge point sockets from EZO and 2,100 lower-powered on-street sockets from Connected Kerb, covering the mix most buyers actually need: fast top-ups for long days out, plus slow overnight charging for residents without a driveway.

The contract is a joint effort with Leicestershire, Rutland, and Worcestershire county councils, working under the Midlands Connect programme. Total funding stacks up to £3.295 million from the Department for Transport and around £15 million in private investment. The wider Midlands rollout targets more than 6,600 charging sockets across the region.

What the rollout means day-to-day

For a driver running a grocery run or commuting across the county, the mix matters more than the headline number. Rapid chargers solve the "I need 80% in 25 minutes" problem — useful on A-roads and near retail parks. The 2,100 slower points from Connected Kerb address the harder problem: kerbside charging for the millions of UK households without off-street parking, historically the single biggest barrier to EV adoption in terraced streets and rental properties.

EZO CEO Ollie Chatten said the focus is on a dependable, user-friendly network that works for residents, businesses, and visitors. Connected Kerb CEO Chris Pateman Jones framed the work as part of a wider Midlands Connect effort, with more than 6,600 sockets planned across the region.

The consumer angle

Councillor Stephen Shaw, Warwickshire's Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning, said the contract offers residents and travelers "greater choice and cheaper prices." That pricing claim is the one worth watching. In my experience walking buyers through the out-the-door cost of an EV, the monthly charging bill is where the math either works or falls apart — and published kWh rates, idle fees, and subscription traps are the variables that decide it.

Midlands Connect Chief Executive Maria Machancoses described the partnership as a way to reduce duplication and maximise the value of every pound spent. For buyers, the practical read is that regional procurement like this tends to produce more standardized pricing and roaming agreements than fragmented council-by-council deals.

What to watch next

• Installation pace: sockets on a map are not sockets in the ground. Timelines for the EZO rapid rollout and Connected Kerb's 2,100-point programme will determine whether the network catches up with actual demand.
• Pricing transparency: the council has promised cheaper prices — drivers should expect clear per-kWh rates and visible idle fees before plugging in.
• Driveway-free access: the real test of the rollout is whether renters and terraced-street residents can actually rely on a charger within walking distance, not just within county borders.