The number of public electric vehicle charge point installations is currently on track to meet the 2030 target of 300,000, according to a report issued today by the National Audit Office (NAO).
As of July 2024, 64,632 electric vehicle charge points had been installed, in line with projections made by the Department for Transport (DfT), through the Office for Zero Emissions Vehicles (OZEV). DfT anticipates that its local charge point programme and continued growth in private installations will support the trajectory needed to reach 300,000 by 2030.
While overall figures are on track, the report identifies challenges that need to be addressed to ensure fairer access to the public charging infrastructure. 44% of public charge points in the UK have been installed in London and the South-East, while only 15% of charge points in England are in rural areas. London has more charge points installed per capita than any other region. More needs to be done to ensure that there is adequate charge point coverage outside London and the South-East and that the rollout meets the needs of drivers with disabilities.
Melanie Shufflebotham, Co-founder and COO, Zapmap commented:
"It should be noted that while Greater London does have a high number of chargers (21,500, 30% of the total across the UK), the majority of these (17,935, 83%) are low powered on-street chargers reflecting the investment by London Boroughs to support their urban population with a high proportion of no driveway households. When looking at the rollout of the rapid/ultra-rapid network, this is more regionally spread. Out of the 12 geographical regions in the UK, 9 have more than 1000 charge points. South-East has the most but London is only the 7th highest. "
The location of charge points is also an issue along the strategic road network, with some stretches still lacking sufficient charge points. In 2020, the government announced an aim for six ultra-rapid charge points at every motorway service area in England by 2023; as of July 2024, 62% of service areas have met this.
The NAO also finds that the cost and time involved in securing planning permissions and electricity grid connections are hindering charge point installation. In response, government is working with stakeholders to streamline planning and connection processes where possible, and is considering more fundamental reform, including looking at rules around highway consents and gaining landowner permissions for development.
The local electric vehicle infrastructure (LEVI) programme, through which the DfT supports local authorities to install charge points, has faced delays, owing to local authority plans taking longer to develop than expected and an established procurement route proving no longer feasible. Consequently, local authorities may need further government support beyond the current programme end date.
Consumer concerns around using public charge points are still numerous, with government putting in place regulations to address these. Concerns include complexity in using charge points, with operators having different ways to pay; pricing being unclear or unduly expensive; and malfunctioning or inoperative charge points.
The NAO report also flags that the needs of drivers with disabilities have not been adequately addressed to date, with many charge points and their surrounding environments having features that make them inaccessible. These include charge points placed on kerbs, with nearby obstructions, or those closely spaced together, presenting difficulties for wheelchair users. While DfT has specified minimum requirements for charge point accessibility, industry and local authorities have requested further clarity on compliance with this standard, and DfT has established a technical group to address these issues.
Gareth Davies, head of the NAO said:
“Government’s estimate of the 300,000 public electric vehicle charge points needed by 2030 appears achievable, although there is more to do to ensure adequate coverage in all parts of the country. Government is using regulation to improve the user experience of public charge points and needs to address access for people with disabilities.”
Melanie Shufflebotham, Co-founder and COO, Zapmap added:
"Zapmap's latest annual survey showed that 61% of EV drivers think the charging network has improved, but there were still concerns as have been identified in this latest report.
"Over the past couple of years there has been a significant leap forward in the number of charge points available to EV drivers, particularly the crucial ultra-rapid chargers and charging hubs to support EV drivers on longer journeys. These are quite well-spread across the country too whilst the slower local chargers, important for drivers who can’t charge at home, is where we see the issue of geographical concentration. Having access to charging at a local level is essential for an equitable transition to electric vehicles and the LEVI fund has been put in place to help deliver this but, as the NAO has identified, delays remain.
”The UK’s EV charging network has seen transformational growth, but more still needs to be done to ensure it is fairer for drivers regardless of where they live."
Vicky Read, CEO of ChargeUK, commented:
“This is yet more evidence that ChargeUK members are delivering for the UK.
“The NAO report backs up the research in our own White Paper that found that we are on track to deliver over 300,000 public charge points by 2030.
“A new charge point is added to the network every 25 minutes on average. We are delivering at the scale and pace necessary to support the transition to electric vehicles. Now the challenge is to stay on track, and for that to happen government must pay heed to the recommendations in this report and tackle the remaining barriers holding us back from going even further and faster.
“Planning permission and grid connections need to be simpler and faster. And we would like to see the Local EV Infrastructure scheme get going at pace to facilitate the vital roll out in all parts of the UK. Finally, speculation over the ZEV mandate must stop. Government must publicly recommit to the rules as they stand and resist pressure to meddle in order to maintain a healthy flow of investment into our sector, so we can keep delivering the charging that the UK needs.”
Find our latest EV charging statistics here.
