Managing the roll-out of EV chargepoints

Meet the experts: Rhiannon Tun talks about her career as an EV project manager at chargepoint operator Believ

Rhiannon Tun

Rhiannon Tun

How did you come to fill the position of ‘EV project manager’?
I worked in the utilities industry for over six years. I began my career at an independent connections provider, where I built a strong foundation in electrical knowledge and project delivery. From there, I moved on to energy infrastructure business SMS, where I was introduced to EV-specific work. When Believ acquired SMS, I became part of the team… and that’s where my journey here began.

Currently, I work as an EV project manager, delivering full end-to-end EV infrastructure projects. While I primarily focus on public sector installations, I’ve also worked across private sector projects, overall supporting Believ’s mission to grow accessible charging nationwide.

What does your role entail?
My role begins once a contract is signed. I manage the full lifecycle of a project; from the initial stages of design and feasibility, through to build, and finally handover to our networks team.

This includes liaising with internal teams like design and technical, commercial, and account management to ensure all aspects, such as capacity, technical requirements, and stakeholder needs, are met.

I also manage client communications, issuing design documentation, resolving queries, and ensuring our solutions align with compliance standards. Once designs are signed off from both sides, I hand the project over to the build team, and later, oversee its transition to the network department.

Why did you choose to work in the EV charging industry?
It was a natural step for me. I was already heavily involved in domestic and commercial electrical connections, and when an opportunity came up to support an EV project in my previous role, I jumped at it.

The EV industry felt like a forward-thinking, fast-growing space and I knew I wanted to be part of that momentum!

Why is your role important?
My work supports the roll-out of public EV charging infrastructure across the UK, ensuring it’s built to the highest standard and accessible to everyone.

Accessibility is key to Believ’s mission, and so a key part of my role is working to create charge point installations that are PAS 1899-compliant – the British Standards Institution’s specification for building inclusive vehicle charging infrastructure. 

I also collaborate with multiple Network License Authorities to expand our charging network and ensure we’re reaching underserved areas. This work helps remove barriers and contributes to a future where EVs are a viable and convenient option for all.

What do you think the three biggest challenges facing the EV charging infrastructure industry are?
    1.    Limited grid capacity: This continues to be a barrier, slowing the growth of new infrastructure, but Ofgem is looking at solutions, so delays should reduce.
    2.    Perceptions on cost of EVs: There is a perception that EVs are a luxury, and that many drivers are priced out of the market, especially those in lower income brackets. However, the second-hand market is growing, and prices are coming down, so we expect EVs to become more accessible in the next few years.
    3.    Charging reliability: Although improving, some drivers still experience issues with charge point technology not working when they turn up to charge. With uptime regulations and responsible CPOs providing robust maintenance systems – we’ll soon see an end to these negative experiences.

What are CPOs doing to address chargepoint reliability?
At Believ, we focus on building reliable infrastructure and ensuring uptime is consistently high. We partner with the best chargepoint hardware providers and never sit still in our quest to utilise the technology that will offer the optimum charging experience’. We’re also proud of our skilled team that mobilises quickly on maintenance, and is supported by dedicated customer service. 

What are the biggest lessons the industry has learned in the chargepoint roll-out?
From my experience, one of the biggest lessons is the importance of long-term thinking. You need robust contingency plans and the confidence that the infrastructure you’re building today will serve the needs of tomorrow. Believ’s model supports this by focusing on future-proofed, community-first solutions that enable long-term EV adoption.

Now that we’re nearing the end of the year, you had three wishes for 2026 that would help accelerate the rollout of EV charging, what would they be?
    1.    DNOs proactively upgrading known capacity-restricted networks, allowing for faster and more scalable EV deployments.
    2.    Increased financial support for drivers, such as further grants or subsidies, to make EV ownership more affordable and inclusive.
    3.    A shift toward decentralised energy solutions, using local power sources to reduce grid dependency and improve sustainability.
 
Rhiannon Tun is an EV project manager at chargepoint operator Believ