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Electric vehicle charger installations increase by nearly 50 per cent year-on-year

The number of devices across the country stands at 64,632.

Improving grid access will help allow for quicker installation of electric car chargers. (Hyundai)
A car charging Improving grid access will help allow for quicker installation of electric car chargers. (Hyundai) (Matt Vosper Photography Ltd)
By Jack Evans, PA Motoring Reporter

The number of electric vehicle chargers on the UK’s roads has risen by close to 50 per cent since July 2023, new figures show.

Statistics from EV charger mapping service Zap-Map show that a total of 20,612 chargers have been installed since July 2023, a rise of 47 per cent. It means that the number of public devices across the country stands at 64,632, with 4,962 installed since April 2024 alone.

The number of chargers with 50kW or over of power equates to 12,474 units, a representation of 19 per cent overall. Additionally, 38,468 chargers have a power rating of three kW to eight kW, with these being used for longer, overnight charges where speed isn’t a priority.

However, DC rapid charging devices including 150kW or faster only accounts for eight per cent of the UK EV infrastructure – with a total of 5,314 located around the country. These units can charge a typical EV from 10 to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes.

In terms of the region that features the most amount of devices in one area, London was found to have the most at 234 per 100,000 people. Next was Scotland at 103, followed by the West Midlands at 92.

The Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) has also stated that it is currently working on a new ‘naming convention’ for electric vehicle chargers which would make them easier for drivers to work out. Currently, they are categorised as 3 kilowatts (kW) up to 8kW, 8kW to 49kW, 50kW to 149kW and 150kW and above.

The next quarterly report is due to be released in October 2024.