- More than 82,000 public EV chargepoints are now available in the UK
- The news follows last week’s announcement that EV drivers can get discounts of up to £3,750 on new EVs
- The government is also investing £4.5bn to make it cheaper and easier to own an EV
Electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints have grown by 27% in the UK, with the past 12 months seeing installations grow by 17,000.
Future of roads minister Lilian Greenwood confirmed that more than 82,000 public chargepoints are now available in the UK, meaning drivers can charge conveniently wherever their journey takes them.
The rapid growth in figures is largely due to installations in the North East, East of England and the West Midlands.
Colin Walker, head of transport, Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), said that the major investment in the UK’s charging infrastructure is proving successful.
Walker said that the government should focus on providing “policy stability” and giving investors the “certainty they need” to put money into the nation’s infrastructure and economy.
Walker explained that the net zero economy is “growing three times faster than the economy as a whole,” and that the booming second-hand EV market is helping families access cheaper, electrically-charged driving.
The news follows last week’s announcement that EV drivers can get discounts of up to £3,750 on new EVs, on top of a £25m boost to help more drivers charge at home and save up to £1,500 a year when switching to electric.
According to Greenwood,drivers will start to benefit from discounts as soon as manufacturers successfully apply for their zero emission cars, with the scheme open to firms now and funding available until the 2028 to 2029 financial year.
“Just last week we announced record discounts to help make EV ownership a reality for thousands more people, alongside making it easier to charge at home, so more drivers can run their EV for as little as 2p a mile – that’s London to Birmingham for £2.50,” she said.
Greenwood claimed that the chargepoint figures show that alongside lowering upfront costs, the government is “making progress” towards expanding its charging networks across the UK with a new one added to the network every half an hour, helping to put “range anxiety in the rear-view mirror”.
The government is also investing £4.5bn to make it cheaper and easier to own an EV, while backing British carmakers to create jobs and drive investment – all part of the government’s Plan for Change. Greenwood said this is securing the UK’s position as a “world-leader in EV adoption”.
The sustained growth, Greenwood claimed, in the charging network across the UK shows the government is “firmly on the side of drivers”.
She said: “This is coming on top of a record £1.6bn to tackle potholes and keeping the 5p fuel duty freeze until spring 2026, saving the average motorist between £50 and £60 a year.”
