DfT targets grid upgrades to unlock motorway rapid charging

The DfT has opened a consultation on strengthening electricity network capacity at motorway service areas in England - the grid upgrades that determine whether ultra-rapid charging actually gets built, not just where chargers get planned. The strategic charging infrastructure scheme targets sites where those upgrades don't currently stack up commercially, on the premise that private investment has stalled precisely because the capacity behind the chargers isn't there. It also asks industry how MSAs should be selected and on what terms operators access the resulting capacity. Responses close 28 July 2026. (Department for Transport)