Electric vehicle charge points up by 17%
A further 17,000 public electric vehicle charge points have been added to the UK network in the past year.
This equates to a 27% increase, with the growth driven largely by expansion in the North East, East and West Midlands.
The addition of a further 17,370 public electric vehicle charge points means there are now now more than 82,000 public charge points now available across the UK
Future of Roads Minister Lilian Greenwood said: “Just last week, we announced record discounts to help make EV ownership a reality for thousands more people, alongside making it easier to charge at home, so more drivers can run their EV for as little as 2p a mile – that’s London to Birmingham for £2.50.
“With a new charge point added to the network every half an hour, we’re helping put range anxiety firmly in the rear-view mirror.”
Significant moment
Meanwhile, Dunstan Power, director of ByteSnap Design and its electric vehicle charging division, Versinetic, added: “The UK’s 27% year-on-year growth in public EV charging infrastructure marks a significant moment for electric vehicle adoption.
“With over 82,000 charge points now in operation and new installations happening every 30 minutes, we are seeing the groundwork being laid for widespread EV use.
“This growth helps boost EV adoption by making charging more accessible and convenient, which encourages more drivers to switch to electric vehicles.”
Further challenges
Power continued: “However, challenges persist, such as ensuring charger reliability, fixing uneven distribution, and expanding ultra-fast charging to cut down wait times. The scale of change needed is substantial. While adding 17,370 chargers each year shows good progress, the infrastructure must evolve beyond mere numbers to focus on reliability, charging speeds, and the quality of user experience that matches the convenience of traditional refuelling.
“The upcoming months will be crucial as details about the grant scheme are revealed and the market assesses whether this charging network expansion can truly remove public charging anxiety for everyday drivers.”
