East Midlands Ambulance Service secures over £400k grant to expand electric vehicle infrastructure

“This will ensure our fleet and teams are resilient and ready to deliver care in a future where electric mobility is the norm.”

They are rolling out a phased plan to ensure vehicles can charge reliably at key operational sites. 

This includes installing new charge points funded by the grant and making it easier for staff to access chargers where needed.

Listen to Cara Turton-Chambers, Head of Sustainability at EMAS here:

EMAS currently operates 153 electric and hybrid vehicles – across Non-Emergency Patient Transport Services, mental health response, community first responders, ambulance crews, and support services. There are currently 108 charging sockets across 35 sites in their network.

The funding comes as part of the NHS Chargepoint Accelerator scheme – an £8 million initiative from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), delivered through the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Department for Health and Social Care (DHSC).

The scheme is designed to help NHS organisations install EV charge points.

Cara Turton-Chambers, Head of Sustainability at EMAS said: “We’re proud to be making real progress on our sustainability ambitions.

“This grant helps us take a practical step forward, but it’s also part of a much bigger picture.

“With the government’s commitment to end the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030, and to allow hybrid vehicles until 2035, we’re building the infrastructure now.

“This will ensure our fleet and teams are resilient and ready to deliver care in a future where electric mobility is the norm.”