UK hits 'significant milestone' with 50,000 electric car chargers but major 'barriers' remain
The milestone charger was installed in Weston-super-Mare
GETTY
The UK has now installed 50,000 electric vehicle charging devices across the UK, although there are still fears that the UK could miss major targets for 2030.
According to new data, the 50,000th EV charger to be installed was an ultra-rapid device at a service station in Weston-super-Mare by MFG EV Power.
Experts have praised the growth of EV chargers in recent years, highlighting how private investment has boosted accessibility to charging.
Zapmap research shows the number of ultra-rapid charge points has increased by a staggering 68 per cent since September 2022.
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At the same time, the number of slow chargers has grown by the same amount, with drivers having the option of how they want to charge.
The installation of EV chargers has grown significantly in recent years, having only reached the 40,000-charger installation mark in February 2023.
This was installed as part of the GeniePoint network at a Morrisons supermarket in Southport, showing the spread of EV chargers around the country.
The 10,000th charging device was unveiled in August 2018, with the installation of an InstaVolt device at Meadowfield Filling Station.
Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder and COO at Zapmap, said it was a historic day for the UK and the progress of EV charging infrastructure.
She added: “Hitting 50,000 public charging devices is a really important milestone for the country and illustrates the sea change behind the increased rate of charge point installations.
“Having passed 40,000 charge points in February, our predictions are that there will be 100,000 chargers by August 2025 – which would certainly be a major achievement.
“Alongside the number of high-power charging hubs in the UK more than doubling in the past year, as we saw last week, these are changes that bring real benefits to electric car drivers up and down the country.”
Estimates from Zapmap show that the UK is likely to reach 100,000 charging devices in August 2025.
In March 2022, the Government pledged to install 300,000 charging points by the end of the decade, following a £1.6billion investment boost.
The target for 300,000 chargers would be the equivalent of almost five times the number of fuel pumps across the UK.
Ian Johnson, Chair of ChargeUK, called the 50,000 installations a “significant milestone”, adding that the rate of deployment is constantly increasing.
He added: “However, we can go further and faster with the right policies and help from Government to remove barriers that constrain the roll-out.
“Public chargers are part of a wider picture. The way people charge their EV depends on their lifestyle, many people charge at home, others charge on their street, whilst many will either charge at destinations or en route on their journeys.
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
The progress of electric car charger installations
ZAPMAP
“Our members are focused on ensuring drivers have access to the right charger in the right place.”
Similarly, James Court, CEO at EVA England, said the landmark achievement would see barriers removed to allow for more chargers to be installed in the future.
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