Electric vehicle charging in city council car parks reaches record high
Drivers of electric vehicles across the Winchester district will see a new charging operator take over part of Winchester City Council's network, as demand for public Electric Vehicle (EV) charging reaches its highest level since they were introduced.
The city council’s network of electric vehicle chargers supplied 479,382kWh of electricity between April 2025 and March 2026, marking the highest annual usage since the council began installing chargers in its public car parks. For an average EV, that’s enough power to travel around the far side of the moon and back, twice.
The record figures highlight the growing uptake of electric vehicles across the district and the increasing use of public charging points.
Since 2021, Winchester City Council has installed 82 charging points in public car parks across the district. The network includes a mix of fast and rapid chargers, as well as single and dual charging units, helping to support residents and visitors make the transition to electric transport.
Mer, one of the council’s charging partners, has been taken over by charging network operator Be.EV. Over the coming months, users of Mer charge points will begin to see Be.EV branding, pricing structures, payment systems and customer support services introduced across the network.
Be.EV says its pricing will remain highly competitive, with lower off-peak charging rates available. Drivers will also have the option of taking out a monthly subscription to access further discounts.
Councillor Kelsie Learney, Cabinet Member for the Climate and Nature Emergency, said: “The increasing usage of our EV charge points shows there is a growing commitment to greener travel across the district, and I'm delighted that we are helping people make the shift to electric by providing EV chargers in key locations.
"Working to reduce carbon emissions from transport is a key aim within our Carbon Neutrality Action Plan for the district, and we will continue to work with partners to increase capacity not only for electric vehicles, but other forms of low-carbon travel too."
Expanding sustainable transport options remains a key part of the city council’s Greener Faster campaign, with reducing emissions from road transport identified as an important element of its Carbon Neutrality Action Plan.
Residents looking for their nearest charging location can find details of EV charging points across the district on the Winchester City Council website: www.winchester.gov.uk/EV-charging
Details of Winchester City Council’s Carbon Neutrality Action Plan can be found here https://www.winchester.gov.uk/climate-change-and-energy/carbon-neutrality-action-plan