The UK100 – a network of local government leaders – has said the UK will need 325,000 public charge points by 2032. But it warned the country will fall well short of this figure if growth rates don’t accelerate rapidly.
How many public charge points are there now?
According to the UK100’s research, the UK has 24,374 public charging points, although that number is set to rise more than threefold to 76,849. However, the network warns that this will result in a shortfall of almost a quarter of a million (248,151) by 2032 – two years after petrol and diesel car sales are set to be banned in the UK.
“Our research shows that the UK’s electric vehicle charging infrastructure is going to creak under demand with a ‘black hole’ of a quarter of a million chargers,” Polly Billington, CEO of UK100 said.
What must be done to address this shortfall?
Billington said consumers want to do the right thing, but they must have confidence in the networks.
“We need a coherent plan to massively accelerate our investment in the infrastructure that will enable us to meet Net-Zero. Consumers are willing to do the right thing but only if they have confidence the networks are in place.”
Can infrastructure boosts really help raise consumer confidence?
Research by Ofgem has revealed that more than a third (36%) of households who aren’t planning to buy an EV said they are concerned about charging infrastructure.
However, the regulator said the delivery of 1,800 new ultra-rapid charge points at trunk roads and motorway service stations, and 1,750 charge points in towns and cities, will help tackle their range anxiety.
Regional disparities must also be tackled
For example, London has more than eight times as many charge points (7,489) as the North East (889). Even when accounting for population differences, this means the capital still has over twice the number of charge points per 1,000 people – despite overall household car or van ownership being much higher in the North East.
Source: Current News.
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