"There’s a real momentum behind the increased rate"
The UK is expected to install the 100,000th electric car charger by 2025 after hitting another major milestone in April.
There are now over 60,000 public charging points around the UK, with more being installed each month to help meet demand from EV drivers.
The UK hit 50,000 installations in October 2023 and has been increasing efforts since then, with estimates showing that summer 2025 should see another milestone.
Backed by the Government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) scheme which allocates funds to local authorities to install chargepoints, the UK is now “well on the way” to reaching 100,000 by 2025.
The latest round of funding saw an additional 44 councils receive money to install EV charging points across the UK.
According to data from Zapmap, the rate of chargepoint installations grew by 37% in 2024 compared with the average across 2023.
Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder and COO at Zapmap, said:
“Hitting 60,000 public charging devices is an extremely significant milestone for electric car drivers across the country.
“This is really just the crest of the wave.
“There’s a real momentum behind the increased rate of charge point installations up and down the country.”
The first four months of 2024 saw an average of 1,900 devices installed monthly, up from the 1,400 average in 2023.
Ms Shufflebotham added that the number of installations is “great news” for electric car drivers, with various charging options improving every month.
Jade Edwards, head of insights at Zapmap, explained that the latest figures show “encouraging growth” across the charging spectrum.
Meanwhile, John Lewis, CEO at char.gy, praised the uptake of EVs with the 60,000th chargepoint being installed by the brand in Streatham, London.
The lack of charging points has been one of the main factors stopping motorists from buying an EV.
The number of charging points by region found the North East of England to have the largest increase at 21.7%, while London had the lowest increase of just 5.1%.
Drivers across the South East of England benefitted from 979 new devices being installed followed by London at 953.
Mr Lewis added: “We’re delighted that a char.gy charge point is marking this significant milestone, in a year of remarkable growth, signalling a bright future for the UK’s charging infrastructure.
“The new station on Natal Road in Streatham is just one of many in the area designed to replicate the convenience of home charging for residents without driveways.
“When everyday charging is convenient and affordable, electric cars become a viable option for everyone.
“This is where we see on-street, hyper-local charging playing a crucial role.
“We look forward to partnering with more councils and developing networks that continue to accelerate the UK’s transition to electric vehicles.”