UK’s electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure
The UK is making significant progress in its transition to electric vehicles (EVs). An essential component of this transition is the development of an extensive and reliable EV charging infrastructure. As of 2023, there are over 42,000 EV charging points located throughout the UK.
Approximately 60% of these charging points are public, while the remaining 40% are private. Public charging points are typically found in public areas such as car parks, shopping centres, and service stations, while private charging points are installed at homes, workplaces, or other private locations.
Between 2022 and 2023, the number of charging points increased by around 20%. This increase highlights a strong commitment to expanding the country's charging infrastructure. The growth in charging points has been driven by government initiatives such as the On-street Residential Chargepoint Scheme (ORCS) and the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS). These schemes provide funding to local authorities and businesses to install charging points.
The UK government has set an ambitious target of phasing out the sale of new internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles by 2035. To support this goal, the government has announced plans to invest heavily in the country's EV charging infrastructure. By 2030, the government aims to have 60,000 public charging points installed, and up to 150,000 public charging points by 2040.
The government has established a range of funding schemes and initiatives to support the deployment of new charging infrastructure. For example, the £1.3 billion Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund provides funding to companies involved in the installation of EV charging points. The government has also introduced new regulations to require that all new homes built from 2022 have EV charging points installed as standard.
To support the growth of EVs in the UK, the government has also invested in ultra-fast charging infrastructure. The Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme (EVHS) provides funding to homeowners for the installation of ultra-fast charging infrastructure, which can charge an EV battery in as little as 15 minutes.
Overall, the UK's EV charging infrastructure is rapidly evolving to meet the needs of the growing number of EV owners in the country. With a strong commitment from the government to invest in new charging infrastructure and continued technological advancements in EV technology, the UK is well positioned to become a leader in the transition to electric mobility. However, there is still much work to be done to achieve the government's ambitious targets for EV charging infrastructure. By investing in new funding schemes and promoting the use of EVs, the UK can build a sustainable and reliable charging infrastructure that supports the transition to a cleaner, more sustainable transportation system.
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