The UK’s electric vehicle infrastructure is continuing to grow at a pace, with a target of 100,000 public charge points expected to be hit in summer 2025.
Zapmap, the EV charger mapping tool that monitors charger availability across the UK, says there are now more than 60,000 public chargers available for use, and it has seen an acceleration in the pace of installations. In the four-month period from January to the end of April 2024, the rate of installation increased by over 36% year on year. That meant an average of more than 1,900 new chargers were installed every month, up from the 2023 average of 1,400 per month.
“Hitting 60,000 public charging devices is an extremely significant milestone for electric car drivers across the country,” said Melanie Shufflebotham, COO at Zapmap. “This is really just the crest of the wave – there’s a real momentum behind the increased rate of charge point installations up and down the country. Without a doubt, it is great news for electric car drivers that not only the sheer number but also the variety of charging options are improving every month.”
The Zapmap numbers include both rapid chargers, ideal for drivers on a longer journey, and slower chargers more suited to replenishing EVs when they are not being used, such as at home or hotel overnight, at places of work or at destinations such as shopping centres.
There has been a 135% growth in the number of high-powered EV chargers, which are increasingly enabling new EVs to refuel faster – closing the perceived convenience gap between ICE cars and EVs when it comes to a mid-journey stop.
At the other end of the scale, companies such as Char.gy are busy installing low-powered chargers on city streets, sometimes using existing infrastructure such as lamp posts. Char.gy itself is putting in an average of 400 charge points per month and has more than 3,000 already live and in use. Lower-powered chargers are also more economical, reported John Lewis, CEO of Char.gy: “These drivers have paid 13% less on average for these miles compared to their petrol and diesel-driving neighbours, and 44% less than they would have to rely solely on rapid public charging.”
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