EV Myths – Charging up for the future

The landscape of EV charging in the UK is undergoing a dynamic transformation. The demand for EVs is ever-growing, but there remains a strong belief that the UK’s EV charging infrastructure does not meet this demand. We conducted a poll with our LinkedIn network to find out what factors are most important when choosing a public EV charging point. 44% of respondents voted that charging point availability was the most important factor, with particular concern around long waits when arriving at a charging station.[1]In this article, we will be looking at the current state of EV charging in the UK, recent developments, as well as the proposed plans that aim to ensure the UK can meet the increasing demand.

According to Zap-Map’s annual EV charging survey from late 2022, the three most-common ways for EV users to charge an EV would either be at home, at work, or at a public charging point. The findings showed that 84% of EV users have access to home charging facilities, 90% use the UK’s public charging network on a regular basis, and 8% use workplace charging facilities.[2]

Whilst the vast majority of EV users have access to home charging facilities, there are still some users who would rely solely on public or workplace charging points. One of the main concerns around home charging is not everyone has access to off-street parking. To remedy this, street chargers are becoming more and more common, however more work is required by local authorities, as well as private operators to ensure the continued expansion of this network.

The workplace is becoming a crucial charging hub. There has been a surge in workplace charging installations, with employers recognising the importance of supporting their employees' transition to EVs. Predictions suggest that workplace charging will play an increasingly vital role in meeting the charging needs of the growing EV fleet. [3]

The UK has witnessed a remarkable increase in the number of public EV charging points. The integration of charging points at destinations such as shopping centres, hotels, and public spaces is crucial. The prospect of EV users conveniently charging their vehicles while engaging in other activities makes EV adoption more practical and attractive. Recently a significant milestone has been reached with over 30,000 charging locations across the UK, made up of over 50,000 charging devices in total. This represents a 45% increase in the total number of charging devices since October 2022.[4]

As shown in the table below, there are over 4000 ultra-rapid charging points as of October 2023. Rapid charging stations are strategically located along major travel routes and are pivotal for addressing range anxiety and facilitating long-distance travel for EV owners. These charging points, typically providing power at 100kW, 150 kW or 350kW are able to significantly reduce charging times. [5]

Efforts are being made to ensure that the benefits of the charging infrastructure are not limited to urban areas. Geographical coverage is expanding, with a focus on including rural and remote locations in the charging network. Installing charging points in these areas is particularly challenging due to the requirement for new high-power connections, or in some case cases, there is insufficient capacity in the existing distribution network.[6] As would be expected, the highest concentration of EV charging devices is in London, with over 18,000 devices located across the capital.[7]

It is evident that continuous development is required to meet the UK government’s highly ambitious target of building a network of a minimum of 300,000 EV chargers by 2030, ahead of the planned ban of petrol and diesel vehicles in 2035. The £950 million rapid charging fund will support the rollout of at least 6,000 high-powered charging points across England’s motorways and major A-roads by 2035. The government have also pledged to support local authorities with over £500 million of funding, helping them find innovative ways to increase local charging point coverage.[8] Technological advancements, such as wireless EV charging, are expected to bring the industry forward by making it easier and more convenient for EV users to charge. Provided the early trials go well, wireless chargers could soon be commonplace within the UK’s EV infrastructure.[9]

The belief that there are not enough EV charging points in the UK is becoming less true each day. The rapid rate at which the UK’s EV infrastructure has been expanding is highly promising, as this country aims to establish a world-leading charging network that enables EV drivers to plug in and charge easily at any point during their journeys.

[1] https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7134920706865147905

[2] https://www.installeronline.co.uk/survey-84-of-ev-drivers-have-access-to-domestic-chargers/

[3] https://www.gov.uk/guidance/workplace-charging-scheme-guidance-for-applicants

[4] https://www.zap-map.com/ev-stats/how-many-charging-points

[5] https://www.zap-map.com/ev-guides/connector-types

[6] https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/6245ba40e90e075f15381cf0/taking-charge-the-electric-vehicle-infrastructure-strategy.pdf

[7] https://www.zap-map.com/ev-stats/how-many-charging-points

[8] https://www.gov.uk/government/news/tenfold-expansion-in-chargepoints-by-2030-as-government-drives-ev-revolution

[9] https://www.theecoexperts.co.uk/electric-vehicles/wireless-ev-charging