A new report from ChargeUK suggests that the EV charging network in the UK is rapidly expanding and is on track to meet 2030 targets.
ChargeUK’s ‘Powering Ahead to 2030′ White Paper found that a new public EV charge point is being installed in the UK every 25 minutes, with the EV charging network able to power half a billion miles of motoring every day.
The report also advocates recommendations to the new Labour Government to optimise their strategy for electric vehicles to accelerate the technology’s adoption.
Vicky Read, CEO of ChargeUK, explained: “In little more than a decade, the UK’s charging sector has grown to become a major player in the green economy, providing the infrastructure that more than a million EV drivers rely on today and scaling fast to deliver the charging needed through to 2030 and beyond.
“Convenient and affordable charging for all is key to the UK’s switch to EVs. This new analysis will give current and future EV drivers confidence that the charging infrastructure will be there for them.
“While the outlook is positive, there is still work to be done. Delivering what the UK needs by 2030 means continuing to grow at pace, ensuring that deployment ramps up in locations that have been hampered by delays, and ensuring the UK has a thriving EV market so that investment in infrastructure continues at scale.
“ChargeUK’s members are committed to this, but we cannot do this without the backing of the new Government, who we call on to take the steps needed to remove delivery barriers, help us offer affordable charging and support our investment, as set out in our manifesto.”
Analysing the UK’s EV charging network
ChargeUK analysis reveals that the UK has over 930,000 public, home, and work chargers for 1.1 million EVs, nearly one charger per EV.
The current EV charging network can deliver almost seven gigawatts of power daily, allowing each UK EV to drive 580 miles per day—over 25 times the average daily journey and further than the distance from London to Aberdeen, totalling over 500 million miles.
The charging network is expanding rapidly, with public charge points doubling in the past two years and a new one installed every 25 minutes in the last quarter. Public charge point availability is now outpacing the growth of new EVs entering the market.
If this growth continues, the UK is projected to exceed 300,000 public chargers by 2030, according to the National Infrastructure Commission’s May 2024 report.
Government recommendations
To maintain the current growth rate and meet 2030 targets, ChargeUK says the charging sector needs government support to accelerate charger installation by removing grid, planning, and permitting delays, and incorporating renewable electricity into the RTFO.
Additionally, making EV charging and ownership more affordable is essential. This can be achieved by equalising VAT on charging, lowering electricity costs, improving signage, and supporting access to new, used, and fleet EVs.
Furthermore, boosting private investment requires clarifying the Rapid Charging Fund, expediting the Local EV Infrastructure Fund, addressing rising standing charges, and advancing HGV charging infrastructure.
