Sustainable Transport Electric Cars and Charging in Manchester

Electric Cars

What is an Electric Vehicle (EV)?

 An electric vehicle (EV) is a car or van that uses electricity instead of petrol or diesel. You charge it by plugging it in - like you do with a phone or tablet!

Why should I switch to an EV?

 Using an electric car instead of a petrol or diesel one can help:

• Keep the air cleaner

• Make Manchester a healthier place to live

• Save money on fuel

• Help slow down climate change

Electric cars don’t create polluting gases when they drive, so they’re better for the planet.

 New technology can be confusing for us all. Find the answers to some frequently asked questions with the Energy Saving Trust.

Our Focus as a Council

 We want to:

• Make it easier for people to switch their petrol or diesel car journeys to EV journeys

• Help people who are more heavily dependent on a car to make the switch to EV

• Help people who don’t have a driveway to be able to charge their EV affordably

• Encourage residents to walk, wheel, cycle, use public transport or a car club car as much as possible.

• Support cleaner air and safer streets

To achieve this, we offer guidance on installing an EV charger at your home and on safe on-street charging.

We also want to know where we should be installing chargers to help residents make the switch. You can help us by suggesting a location for an electric vehicle (EV) charge point.

We also want to make it easier to charge an EV away from home by providing information on chargers and different ways to charge an EV in Manchester and across the country.

Financial support

The following grants are available to support residents and businesses who would like to make the switch to EV.

• Government help -  EV charge point grants for households with on-street parking

• Government help -  EV charge point grants for renters and flat owners

• Manchester Council grant - Applying for an EV cable channel

If you're a business, charity or public sector organisation you may be eligible for a grant. It would contribute to the up-front costs of a charge point. Find out more about the workplace charging scheme which is due to close March 2026.  

EV Charging

Read about our EV Lamppost Charging pilot scheme.

Coming soon
As Manchester City Council launches new EV schemes details will be available here.
If you still have questions about EV charging email ev@manchester.gov.uk