The UK’s electric vehicle (EV) charging sector has experienced remarkable growth in recent years, positioning it to meet the increased demand expected by the end of this decade. Vicky Read, CEO of industry body ChargeUK, described this growth as a “huge British success story” but emphasized the need for collaboration between the new government and charging firms to sustain this progress. In an interview with Autocar, Read highlighted the achievements of the charging industry, including the deployment of a public charge point every 25 minutes and a year-on-year growth rate of over 40%. However, she also pointed out the challenges that need to be addressed, such as securing funding, incentivizing EV uptake, and removing installation obstacles.
The current state of the charging industry is impressive, with 66,779 devices in operation at nearly 35,000 sites as of July, compared to virtually no charge points a decade ago. When combined with the nearly 870,000 private chargers, there is almost one plug for each of the 1.1 million EVs on UK roads. This growth is particularly significant considering that the sector is only a little over a decade old.
Despite the positive growth, Read emphasized the need for continued government support and collaboration to overcome the delivery barriers hindering the acceleration of the charging sector. Obtaining planning permission, grid connections, and highway operation permits are some of the challenges that delay the deployment of new chargers. The previous government acknowledged these issues, and ChargeUK hopes to continue the conversation with the new administration to remove these obstacles.
Private investment has played a significant role in the expansion of the charging network, with ChargeUK members committing over £6 billion to the sector until 2030. However, public funding is also crucial, and Read called for clarity on two funds announced by the previous government: the Rapid Charging Fund (RCF) and the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) fund. Clarification on how public investment is being utilized will help unlock the potential of private funding.
Geographical imbalance in the distribution of chargers is another concern in the charging industry. London has a significantly higher installation rate compared to other regions, particularly the North. To address this, Read highlighted the importance of the LEVI and RCF funds in filling these gaps and called for collaboration between local authorities and the charging industry to identify suitable locations for charger rollouts.
A recent study by Vauxhall and the Cenex research consultancy suggested that a more targeted approach to infrastructure expansion could better meet the demand for charging. The study introduced new metrics, such as “near home charging” and “journey charging,” to evaluate the effectiveness of the charging network in specific areas. These metrics revealed that there is still work to be done to ensure that supply meets demand across different regions and major roads.
Read also discussed the impact of EV adoption on the charging network. With the UK’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate and the potential ban on new internal combustion engine (ICE) car sales in 2030, the proportion of EVs on UK roads will increase significantly. The availability of charge points plays a crucial role in encouraging people to switch to EVs. However, charger operators need sight of the projected trajectory of EV sales growth to make informed investment decisions.
In conclusion, the UK’s EV charging sector has experienced rapid growth, but collaboration between the government and charging firms is crucial to sustain this progress. The challenges of securing funding, incentivizing EV uptake, and removing installation obstacles need to be addressed. Public and private investment, along with a targeted approach to infrastructure expansion, will ensure that the charging network caters effectively to the increasing demand for EVs.
