Why a £300m Deal Marks a Turning Point for EV Charging

Believ’s £300m funding round to deploy 30,000 chargers highlights growing investor confidence and confirms public EV charging as core UK infrastructure

2 Feb 2026

The UK’s electric vehicle charging market has crossed an important threshold. What was once a fragmented patchwork of pilots and local schemes is starting to look like national infrastructure.

Believ’s £300m funding round, aimed at deploying up to 30,000 public charge points, is among the strongest signals yet that public charging is moving beyond experimentation. For drivers long frustrated by unreliable access, the scale of the commitment matters as much as the headline figure.

Electric vehicle ownership continues to climb, but access to charging has not kept pace. Millions of households lack off street parking, leaving them dependent on public networks. Believ’s focus on residential streets, town centres, retail sites and transport hubs reflects a shift across the industry. Chargers are being placed where cars actually sit, not just along motorways.

Investors are paying close attention. Backing from Liberty Global, Zouk Capital and major lenders suggests that public charging is increasingly viewed as a stable, long term asset rather than a risky green experiment. Capital is flowing toward operators that can scale networks, manage costs and deliver consistent service, not just install hardware.

As one energy transition analyst put it, public charging is starting to resemble a basic utility. The financing structure behind this deal reinforces that view, favouring durability over quick wins.

Policy pressure is adding urgency. With the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales approaching, councils are under growing strain to expand charging access. Tight public finances mean many are leaning on private operators to fund, build and run large networks.

Obstacles remain. Grid connections are slow, energy prices remain volatile and drivers expect clearer pricing and better reliability. Competition is also intensifying, raising the prospect of consolidation as weaker players fall away.

Still, the direction is unmistakable. Large scale investment is reshaping the market into one defined by fewer, stronger operators. For everyday drivers, that could finally make electric motoring practical, predictable and mainstream.