We need the right EV chargepoints in the right places: quality over quantity
While the increasing number of EV chargepoints is encouraging, editor Paul Barker thinks more 50kW+ units are needed
The latest figures on public EV chargepoint numbers in the UK show how quickly the infrastructure is growing, which is great news for the PR message around electric cars as much as anything. Be it perception or reality, the worry about easily charging on the move is one of the biggest mountains to overcome if EVs are going to be widely accepted and adopted.
So an increase of nearly 5,000 points in the past three months, and over 20,000 in the past year is useful, although the pace of installation slowed in the second quarter of 2024. But as much as the quantity of chargers, it’s about having the right ones in the right places.
The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles’ (OZEV) numbers revealed some interesting nuances, too. London has the most EV chargers – 234 per 100,000 people, which is more than double the next-best region. But the majority are low-speed units that charge overnight, rather than while you wait. This makes sense in the capital with its lack of driveways, and shows London is leading the way to help those that can’t charge at home access an EV.
But the bigger issue is the more powerful 50kW-plus chargers, the ones classed as en route devices by OZEV, and the ones that EV drivers rely on for longer journeys. Less than 20 per cent of chargers are at least 50kW, and that ratio is falling as more low-speed points are installed. Figures earlier this year also showed that less than half of motorway service stations had at least six charging points, missing the previous Government’s target of 100 per cent by some distance.
While there is an overall growth in chargepoints, the majority were in the 3-8kW band – the slowest speed category – either on-street or classified as destination chargers. It’s great news that the quantity is increasing, with nearly 65,000 now installed across the country, but our high-powered infrastructure needs to be addressed to truly get the UK moving towards electric.
Click here for our guide on electric car charging in the UK...
