The UK has witnessed an unprecedented surge in the installation of public electric vehicle charging stations during the first quarter of 2024. Charging companies are racing to keep pace with the growing demand for plug-in vehicles on British roads.
According to quarterly figures from data company Zapmap and published by the UK’s Department for Transport, nearly 6,000 new EV chargers were installed across the country during the first three months of the year. Remarkably, approximately 25% (around 1,500) of these new installations were DC fast chargers, capable of providing rapid charging for electric vehicles.
As of April 1st, the UK boasted nearly 60,000 public vehicle chargers in operation, marking a staggering 49% increase compared to 2023 and nearly doubling the number of public chargers available in 2022.
Ben Nelmes, CEO of the automotive think tank New AutoMotive, attributed this recent expansion of the UK’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure to improved coverage in areas that were previously underserved. This progress is partly due to local governments gradually taking advantage of central government grants to fund the installation of more EV chargers.
“I think there is a convergence of two factors,” Nelmes told The Guardian. “Some of the barriers have been mitigated, and the private sector has recognized the opportunity.”
A survey conducted by the Electric Vehicle Association among the UK’s more than one million EV drivers revealed that only 6% of respondents reported experiencing range anxiety either very often or fairly often. Notably, 94% of EV drivers said they experienced range anxiety occasionally, rarely, or never.
Electrifying London’s Iconic Black Cabs
One noteworthy development in the UK’s transition to electric mobility is the electrification of London’s iconic black cabs. More than half of the over 15,000 famous London “black cabs” have now transitioned to electrified vehicles, effectively operating as EVs with range-extending internal combustion engines on board. The majority of London’s largest taxi and minicab services have committed to operating fully electrified fleets by 2025.
Source: The Guardian.
