More money for ambulance trusts to charge electric fleets

All ten NHS ambulance trusts in England are set to benefit from a £3.5m investment in electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure, in a move hailed as a “timely and positive step” towards a more sustainable ambulance service.

The funding will install more than 1,200 new EV charging points at ambulance stations and other NHS sites, giving services the capacity to expand their electric response fleets. It forms part of a wider £8m allocation to the NHS from the government’s £63m national EV infrastructure package, announced to cut charging costs, accelerate adoption, and reduce emissions across the UK’s transport network.

Anna Parry, Managing Director of the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives (AACE), welcomed the new investment, saying:

“This £3.5m investment in electric vehicle chargepoints across all ten NHS ambulance trusts is a timely and positive step toward a more sustainable NHS, as outlined in the government’s 10-Year Health Plan.

“In some parts of the country, electric ambulances and response cars have already been successfully tried and tested, showing how transitioning the ambulance fleet to electric vehicles could significantly reduce exposure to air pollution for patients and communities, while also offering long-term savings that can be reinvested to enhance patient care.”

Tracy Nicholls, Chief Executive of the College of Paramedics, described the development as “a vital step forward in helping ambulance services operate more sustainably”, reduce emissions, and protect public health. She urged the government to maintain long-term funding to support the sector’s continued transition to greener fleets.

While the ambulance investment is a major milestone, the funding sits within a broader NHS commitment to fully decarbonise its 20,000-strong vehicle fleet by 2040. As the UK’s second-largest vehicle operator after Royal Mail, the NHS clocked up over 460 million miles last year, much of it in frontline services such as emergency response, patient transport, and essential deliveries.

Air pollution, linked to around 36,000 deaths annually in the UK, is a key driver behind the shift. Installing charging points across 62 NHS trusts and around 224 sites is projected to save the health service £130m over the next 25 years, with a return on investment in just four years.

The new funding is an addition to the news earlier this year that NHS England is funding up to 80 new electric ambulances for use in services across England as part of its bid to decarbonise the fleets of the ten ambulance trusts.

For the ten ambulance trusts, the benefits go beyond environmental gains. Reduced fuel and maintenance costs free up resources that can be reinvested directly into patient care, ensuring the move to electric power delivers for both the planet and the people who rely on lifesaving services every day.

We asked 108 emergency services across the UK to tell us about how they’re making the transition to electric fleets. Read our exclusive Blue lights, green fleet report to find out more.