UK electric car chargers will reach 100,000 by 2025

Britain is expected to install its 100,000th electric car charger by 2025 after another major milestone was reached in April.

There are now more than 60,000 public charging points in the UK, with more being installed every month to meet EV driver demand.

Britain reached 50,000 installations in October 2023 and has since stepped up efforts, with estimates showing a new milestone should be reached by summer 2025.

Backed by the government’s Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) programme, which awards money to local authorities to install charging points, Britain is now “on track” to reach 100,000 by 2025.

The latest round of funding saw a further 44 councils receive funding to install EV charging points across the UK.

According to data from Zapmap, the number of charging point installations grew by 37% in 2024 compared to the average in 2023.

Melanie Shufflebotham, co-founder and COO at Zapmap, said:

“Reaching 60,000 public charging devices is an extremely important milestone for electric car drivers across the country.

“This is actually just the crest of the wave.

“There is real momentum behind the increased number of charge point installations across the country.”

An average of 1,900 devices were installed monthly in the first four months of 2024, compared to the average of 1,400 in 2023.

Ms Shufflebotham added that the number of installations is “great news” for electric car drivers, with several 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 of char.gy, praised the rise of electric vehicles, with the brand’s 60,000th charging point installed in Streatham, London.

The lack of charging points is one of the main factors preventing drivers from buying an electric car.

The number of charging points per region shows that North East England has the largest increase at 21.7%, while London has the lowest increase of just 5.1%.

Drivers in the South East of England benefited from the installation of 979 new devices, followed by London with 953.

Mr Lewis added: “We are pleased that a charging point marks this important milestone, in a year of remarkable growth, signaling a bright future for Britain’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 a driveway.

“When daily charging is easy and affordable, electric cars become a viable option for everyone.

“This is where we see hyper-local on-street charging playing a crucial role.

“We look forward to working with more councils and developing networks that continue to accelerate the UK’s transition to electric vehicles.”