Swift growth in number of ultra-rapid EV chargers at service stations

A rapid EV charger revolution has begun as the number of ultra-fast electric car chargers at English motorway service stations has increased by over 50 per cent in the first eight months of 2024, with almost half of locations having at least six of these units.

Data compiled by the RAC and EV charging website ZapMap shows that more than 200 ultra-rapid electric car chargers have been installed across the country at motorway service sites since the beginning of 2024. This brings the total number of public ultra-rapid chargers (those that can charge at speeds in excess of 150kW) at service stations to 595; as many as six service stations have as many as 12 of these, including Moto Frankley on the M5 southbound, which features as many as 28 ultra-rapid charging stations.

This news follows the failure of the previous Conservative administration to hit its goal of having six high-powered public chargers (deemed those over 50kW) by 2023. As of the time of writing, only just over half (54 per cent) of sites have met this goal, although a surplus of chargers at some sites means the national average is five rapid chargers per service station.

That’s not to mention the fact that nearly two thirds (64 per cent) of service stations have at least one ultra-rapid charger. The total number of 150+kW charge points across the country (not just at service stations) totalled 6,136 at the end of September 2024.

In a bid to further speed up the deployment of ultra-rapid chargers across the country, the RAC’s head of policy, Simon Williams, has called on the government to make the process of connecting high-powered chargers to the National Grid “faster and simpler than it is currently”.

Co-founder and COO of ZapMap, Melanie Shufflebotham, described the rapid increase in the number of fast chargers as “impressive”, also praising Tesla for opening many of its numerous Supercharger sites to all EV drivers.

“We know from our surveys and data that motorway service areas are very popular, convenient charging locations,” Shufflebotham continued, “[so] as more people make the switch to electric, it’s important that there is sufficient visible provision at each and every motorway service area.”

Now take a look at our guide on electric car charging in the UK...