UK hits milestone of 60,000 EV charge points as installation rates soar

The UK has passed the milestone of 60,000 public charging points - and is on track to reach 100,000 public charging devices in summer 2025.

The UK's 60,000th device was installed in April for the Char.gy on-street charging network The landmark device was installed in April on Natal Road - a residential street in Streatham, London - for the Char.gy on-street charging network. The latest milestone comes just six months after the UK reached the 50,000 mark [1] - and illustrates a significant acceleration in the rate of charge point installation over recent years.

The new figures, published by Zapmap, also reveal that the overall rate of installation in the first four months of 2024 has increased by almost 37% compared with the average across 2023. The first four months of the year have seen an average of more than 1,900 devices installed every month, up from the 2023 average of 1,400 per month. April's milestone has been driven by particularly strong growth in two key areas of the country's charge point infrastructure.

The number of ultra-rapid devices - designed for en-route charging - has increased by 135% since April 2023, with w 4,988 devices now spread across the country. Over the same period, the number of low-powered devices on residential streets, used primarily for overnight charging, has increased by more than 54%. Char.gy, which installed the 60,000th device, is one of the on-street charging point operators contributing to this growth.

The company recently announced the installation of its 3,000th public charging point [2], with new charge points going live at a rate of around 400 per month. Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder & 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. "Without a doubt, it is great news for electric car drivers that not only the sheer number but also the variety of charging options are improving every month."

Based on the current rate of installations, the UK is likely to reach 100,000 public charging devices by around August 2025 Based on the current rate of installations, the UK is likely to reach 100,000 public charging devices by around August 2025 - supporting government plans for 300,000 charge points nationally by 2030.

Jade Edwards, head of insights at Zapmap, said: "It's fantastic to see that the strong pace of charger installations we saw last year is already being exceeded in 2024. "These latest figures show encouraging growth right across the charging spectrum, from the lowest-powered charge points at the end of your street through to the speediest ultra-rapids on the motorway. "With more than 135% growth in the number of the highest-powered chargers over the last year, and 343 high-powered charging hubs across the country at the end of April, the UK is well on the way to hitting 100,000 public charging devices in summer 2025."

John Lewis, CEO at Char.gy, said its milestone charge point in Streatham was already seeing strong residential demand. It's already powered more than 1,200 miles of motoring for electric drivers - who have paid 13% less on average for those miles compared to their petrol and diesel-driving neighbours, and 44% less than they would have relying solely on rapid public charging. "When everyday charging is convenient and affordable, electric cars become a viable option for everyone," said Lewis. "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."

References

^ just six months after the UK reached the 50,000 mark (fleetworld.co.uk)
^ 3,000th public charging point (evfleetworld.co.uk)