Shropshire Council has published a preliminary market engagement notice for its Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) scheme, referenced as DMNH 042. This is not yet a formal invitation to tender, but an early signal of the Council’s intention to bring a major electric vehicle charging infrastructure opportunity to market. The notice was published on 29 July 2026 and carries a reported contract value of £108 million (US$146 million).

The purpose of the scheme is to expand public electric vehicle charging infrastructure across Shropshire to support an equitable network. The Council wants to ensure that residents who cannot charge at home are not left behind as electric vehicle adoption grows. Government forecasts suggest that by 2050 around 90% of cars could be electric, and the LEVI Fund is designed to get ahead of that demand by enabling large-scale private-sector delivery under contract to local authorities. Under the proposed model, the Council will appoint a single service provider or consortium to supply, install, connect, own, operate and maintain the charging equipment. The arrangement will take the form of a 15-year concession contract, with an option for a one-year extension. The Council will contribute its £2.006 million of LEVI capital funding to help de-risk the investment for the private partner, while also seeking an annual concession fee and/or a share of revenues. The precise commercial terms will be shaped through market engagement and the subsequent procurement process.

As of October 2025, Shropshire already had 546 charge points. Analysis suggests that the LEVI funding could support more than 550 additional devices, roughly doubling the existing network. Most of these are expected to be standard 7 kW units, although the scope may include 22 kW fast chargers where local network capacity allows, and a limited number of 50 kW+ rapid chargers on suitable sites. Charging points will primarily be located on-street or on Council-owned land.

The Council has not yet finalised whether the opportunity will be offered as a single lot or divided into lots. That decision will be informed by further site analysis, preferred charging speeds and feedback gathered during market engagement. A formal competitive procurement is expected later in 2026, following a structured process that includes pre-market engagement, a two-stage competition, dialogue, best and final offers, and contract award. The aim is to appoint a provider in early 2027 so that the first new charge points can become operational before the end of that year.