FAQs

Electric vehicles (EVs) are fully powered by electric power and use a battery. Electric vehicles create zero exhaust pipe emissions. 

Ultra-low emissions vehicles (ULEVs) are partially powered by electric power through a hybrid engine. Hybrid engines have an electric motor and an internal combustion engine (ICE) which burns petrol or diesel like a traditional car. On average, ULEVs create 25 grams of CO2 emissions per kilometre or less. 

Traditional vehicles are powered by petrol or diesel. These fuels are burned in an internal combustion engine (ICE). The use of petrol and diesel to power a traditional vehicle creates, on average, 180 grams of CO2 per kilometre. 

Electric vehicles and ultra-low emissions vehicles can be bikes, cars and vans. Even larger vehicles such as buses can be electric.

Charging overnight at home is often a preference for EV owners who have access to a driveway or garage, as this can be very convenient and affordable. The best time to charge your electric vehicle is when your car is parked, rather than making a specific trip to charge your vehicle. However, not everyone has access to private off-street parking.  

We want to improve access to EV chargepoints for people who don’t have off-street parking at home. The LEVI programme will allow us to install residential EV chargepoints which will help more people to charge their electric vehicle close to home. This will mean that people can charge where they park their car for longer periods of time, and don’t have to drive away from home to find a chargepoint. 

People who don’t have access to off-street parking cannot charge their EV at home because charging cables running across a path from a home to a vehicle are dangerous for people using the path. The Highways Act 1980 states that it is illegal for any person to place or run a cable or wire along or across a public highway because having the cable trail from your home across the pavement to your car will cause a safety hazard. This means that you cannot trail an EV charging trailing cable across a path from your home to your EV, and doing so is breaking the law. 

The five councils of West Yorkshire are responsible for setting their own policies on at home on-street charging solutions. They are each looking at options for on-street charging in line with the Highways Act. Your local council may choose to implement solutions that meet the needs of local residents and geographies in the future. So, we will see how this develops over time.

There are a number of factors that will affect how quickly you can charge your vehicle, such as:  

Chargepoint speed: Chargepoints have different levels of power, and are categorised as slow/standard, fast, rapid or ultra-rapid. The power of the chargepoint you are using shows how quickly they can charge an EV. You will be able to find out the speed of the chargepoint you are using on the chargepoint information, signage nearby, or on the chargepoint operator’s app. 

Onboard chargers: Each EV has an onboard charger which is built into the vehicle. An onboard charger is different to an EV charger or chargepoint, and is a component of your vehicle. The speed that your EV will charge from AC power depends on the capacity of its onboard charger. The capacity of onboard chargers varies, and you can check what yours is with your vehicle manufacturer. The maximum speed your EV can charge is set by the onboard charger it has. 

Load management: Some chargepoints have load management capabilities. This controls how much electricity each charging socket can use when more than one vehicle is plugged into the charger. If a chargepoint has a load management feature you should be advised of this either on the chargepoint itself, nearby signage, or on the chargepoint operator app. You will also be able to find out what charging speed to expect. The way that the chargepoint you are using distributes the power when multiple vehicles are charging can impact your charging speed. For example, if you are charging at a 7 kW/h chargepoint that has two sockets and another vehicle parks and starts charging, the speed at which you charge may drop to 3.5 kW/h. This is not the case at all chargepoints but may happen at some.  

Also, charging rates often slow down once the vehicle battery reaches 80% charged.

We are committed to ensuring fair and equitable access to EV charging and we will work with private sector operators to ensure tariffs are reasonable, where possible. However, charging tariffs are usually set by the chargepoint operator.  

Charging tariffs will vary between chargepoint operators. Some chargepoint operators require people to download an app to access their chargepoints, while other chargepoints have contactless payment enabled. Please refer to the individual operator’s website for details. 

Length of stay and parking restrictions may apply at some chargepoint locations, so please check signage and bay markings carefully for details. Most chargepoints are compatible with a range of vehicle types, such as cars, motorbikes and vans. However, some car parks do have height restriction barriers in place and bays may be restricted to a certain type of vehicle, such as taxis.   

Some chargepoint operators offer smart charging tariffs or off-peak tariffs to encourage customers to charge at quieter times, such as overnight.

We are working to make sure that West Yorkshire has a network of EV chargepoints which are in the right places and have a mix of charging speeds. The locations of new chargepoints are being chosen on a project-by-project basis, based on the challenges and needs each project addresses. 

When choosing locations of new chargepoints, we are using a data driven approach, whilst also drawing on the knowledge of local people and the expertise of chargepoint operators. We will be considering what power of chargepoint is needed for each location – for example a lower powered chargepoint is more suitable for a location where people are charging their vehicle overnight.  

In some areas, there are restrictions on electrical grid capacity which may limit the amount or type of EV infrastructure that can be installed. 

We are also considering the impact of EV chargepoints on other road users, such as cyclists, pedestrians, and people using a wheelchair or mobility scooter.  

You can use our interactive map to tell us where you think a new chargepoint is needed. Please note, the map is indicative, and is not an opportunity for you to request a new EV chargepoint. Your suggestion will help us to understand where there is demand for more EV charging. You won't be contacted about your suggestion, but it will be analysed alongside other suggestions as part of this engagement. Click here to visit our interactive map.

We have an important role to play in creating a fair, accessible and reliable EV charging network for West Yorkshire. However, most chargepoints will be installed by the private sector.   

We are working with private sector chargepoint operators to create chargepoints to meet future demand. This will mean that charging opportunities are already available when people need them, instead of being installed after people have already bought an EV. We are also going to make sure there is a good spread of chargepoints. We want to make sure that no area is left out of the EV charging network.  

We are working to build an EV charging network that is fit for purpose by making sure that the right chargers are installed in the right locations, rather than the most profitable chargers being installed regardless of people’s needs.

In October 2022 the British Standards Institution published guidance on creating EV charging opportunities that are accessible. This guidance is referred to as BSI PAS 1899:2022.  

This guidance is not a legal requirement, however, the West Yorkshire Combined Authority is committed to creating a fair and accessible EV charging network. So, new charging infrastructure procured by the Combined Authority will be required to meet or exceed the BSI PAS 1899:2022 standards where it is reasonably practical to do so.

The LEVI programme is funded through the UK Government’s LEVI fund. West Yorkshire has been awarded £1.5 million of LEVI pilot funding and £14.3 million of further LEVI capital funding to install close to home residential chargepoints. This funding can only be spent on electric vehicle projects. 

The LEVI programme is not designed to be solely public funded. So, we are working on an approach to getting private sector investment to deliver the best quality, fair and accessible EV charging network for the people of West Yorkshire.

The Mayor of West Yorkshire and the West Yorkshire leaders have declared a climate emergency and have established an ambitious emission reduction target for West Yorkshire, committing the region to achieving net zero carbon by 2038. The West Yorkshire Climate and Environment Plan was agreed by the Combined Authority in October 2021 and is our joint response to tackling the climate emergency, protecting the environment and achieving net zero. Click here to read the Climate and Environment Plan.

At the moment, if we do not take action, we will not reach our target of net zero by 2038. It is going to be a big challenge for our transport sector to meet our carbon targets. The transport sector creates the highest level of emissions in the region, accounting for 44% of all CO2 emitted. 89% of these emissions are created by road transport in West Yorkshire. 

EVs create zero exhaust pipe emissions. Switching to electric vehicles will improve air quality and have health benefits for the people of West Yorkshire, which will improve our quality of life. EVs will help us in our efforts to reach net zero by 2038. 

When comparing private car journeys, electric vehicles are a more sustainable mode of transport than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. Although EVs don’t create exhaust pipe emissions, it is important to acknowledge that electric vehicles still contribute to pollution from wear to their tyres and breaks. Also, the manufacturing and shipping of EVs creates emissions. Our ultimate ambition is to encourage and support people to shift their transport choices away from private cars and towards more sustainable options such as walking, wheeling, cycling, and using public transport.  

We have committed to installing EV chargepoints across the region to support people to make more sustainable travel choices. New EV charging infrastructure will also help workers who bring a work vehicle home with them. 

Alongside providing the electric charging infrastructure needed for sustainable private car use, we are working to make shared car use a sustainable and practical alternative to private vehicle ownership through promoting the Car Club and increasing the number of electric vehicles available through this scheme.